Hanging in the Balance
by Introvertedly-BrownEyed-Writer
Summary: Sequel to Running Away! Serenity and Jacob are finally getting married. Its all good until strange things start happening. Serenity's powers are getting stronger and more unpredictable. When she goes missing, what will Jacob do to get her back? Jacob/OC
1. Prologue

**Hello beautiful people! I'm back! And guess what? Here's the sequel, **_**Hanging in the Balance. **_**Please review, I want to know what you think! Sorry it's so short by the way, I just want to give you something until junk that's going on over here clears up. So, read on!**

**Please review!**

_I breathed raggedly as I fell to my knees, glaring hatefully at the man standing before me. A cruel smile twisted on his lips, and I fought the urge to curse in his face, despite what might happen if I did. I started to get up on my feet, but his whip flashed out again—something I had come to recognize in my time here. Grunting as the leather slapped my hardly-clad back, I fell once more to my knees before him._

_I didn't know how much more of this I could take. He was hurting me, and wearing out the one he wanted most. I could feel the welts on my back start healing, but the process had slowed hours ago since he'd started this torture. Beyond him, his servants sat there, watching all the pain he was inflicting upon me, none of their faces showing mercy or even the slightest shred of sympathy. But there was one whom I know would show it, even when it could cost him his place and life. Though he wasn't here right now, I could sense his pain along with my own. Even though he wasn't watching, he knew what was going on; he'd been here himself._

_I couldn't get up anymore. My muscles felt like jelly, unresponsive to what my brain commanded them to do. I summoned my will, my strength, and my power to get up and not back down. My powers weren't responsive, due to my current exhaustion. My breathing was erratic and my pulse was all over the place, but I wasn't about to let that stop me. Focusing on the blood that had long since dried and crusted over on my arms, legs, and face, I unsteadily rose to my feet._

_But right when I stood up straight, a horrible pain came from the center of my body. I hunched over, clutching my stomach, but it wasn't the right spot. It came from the middle, more behind. The pain was escalating, but through my pants and moans, I heard one of the grand doors opening. In came a blank-faced maid, scurrying up to the man, who was watching me with confusion etched in his unnaturally young-looking face._

"_Master," the maid spoke and he turned to her, "it's time."_

_The words made my heart nearly stop. She was looking at me, glassy eyes unfocused and fake-looking. The man's face twisted into one of such malicious greed that I turned away from him, fear and worry eclipsing every other feeling in me. A flurry of the maids that had been watching him whip me surrounded me, helping me to my feet, and carrying my weight when my unresponsive legs buckled underneath me._

_As they carried me away from the grand chamber room, only my grunts and screams of pain echoed through the halls._

**Like I said, I know it's short, but I still wanted to give you guys something until it clears up. So, review and tell me what you think! I'll try my best to update as soon as I can! **

**I don't own Twilight.**

**Ciao!**

**~Alee B.**


	2. Dress Shopping, Who Doesn't Love That?

**My wonderful readers and reviewers! The virus is now off my computer and I can submit chapters now! However, it can't be as often as I'd like because we don't have Wi-Fi in my house anymore because of the bills. Originally supposed to be 24.99$ a month, it came to be 60$ instead. So we cut it off. Anyways, Science fair projects are OVER (I got third place!) and I have some free time left on my hands. So, I'm going to continue writing on FF because quite frankly I miss the place. **

**Here's the first official chapter of Hanging in the Balance! (Ps: The first chapter wasn't a dream, it was a prologue.)**

"Breathe, baby girl, breathe. It's okay, we're not going to be late; not with you driving. We're going to make it to the appointment on time, and have them find the perfect dress, okay? Relax and slow the heck down, you're giving me a heart attack!"

I glared at my brother Austin in the back seat of my car. He'd been complaining since I'd hit the freeway and I'd sped up the car _just a little bit_. Beside him was his girlfriend, Leah Clearwater, who was also a member of my pack. Leah and I are the only female werewolves in La Push, both in the same pack, but not exactly the same kind of wolf. Where she was small and fast, I was huge and strong, having just enough speed to catch up to her when I really tried. She had imprinted on my brother, meaning that they were soul mates and probably getting married soon. However, not as soon as me.

That's right! I'm getting married to the sweetest, hottest, and greatest guy I've ever met, who also just so happens to be my life-long best friend and my soul mate. Jacob Black and I have known each other since we were in diapers, having lived in La Push all our lives on the Quileute reservation. Right now, I was driving to a bridal shop for my appointment to try on dresses to find the right one for me. (**Picture will be on my profile soon.) **

"Shut up, Austin," I told him from the front seat. "Be thankful I even brought you along and didn't just take Leah for hours and hours until she had to go home and you wouldn't get to see her. Now that would be evil."

Beside me in the passenger seat, my father chuckled. Just turned 45 years old, he looked as though he were in his early or mid-thirties, with dark brown hair, dark eyes, and tan skin that didn't have even the slightest wrinkle. He used to smile a lot more, but ever since my mother died, seeing him smile genuinely had turned into a rare occasion. But he'd been smiling more now that my wedding day was coming. In three days to be exact.

I know what you're all thinking: _Why would you wait until the last minute to find a wedding dress? It's practically the most important thing for a wedding! _Well, to be honest, when it comes to wedding dresses and stuff like that, I'm pretty easy to please. And besides, I'm on a tight budget; nothing over 1,300$. But I'm not too worried about the dress; I'm more worried about the wedding ceremony, the reception, the honeymoon—everything except the dress.

"Ah, we're here! Let's go." I shut off the engine and hopped out of my car, key fobbing the doors locked. We all entered the bridal shop and looked around at the dresses that were on display before coming to sit down in one of the waiting rooms. I was jittery and excited and nervous about my appointment, wondering what dress I was going to find.

After about fifteen minutes of waiting, a woman dressed in black business attire with blond hair came up to us with a smile on her face. "Hello! I'm Donna, and I'll be helping you today. So, who's my bride?" she asked in a cheery voice.

I raised my hand shyly. "Me. I'm Serenity."

Donna smiled. "Hello, Serenity! Tell me a little about yourself and then who you've brought her today with you."

"Well, my name is Serenity White. I'm eighteen years old and getting married to my life-long best friend, Jacob Black. The wedding is in… three days," I whispered the last part, but I knew by Donna's expression the she heard it.

"Three days? That's a really short amount of time! Why did you wait until now?"

I shrugged. "Well, because I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to things like this."

Donna nodded for me to continue. "I brought with me today my father, Andrew." Dad nodded in greeting. "My older brother, Austin." Austin shook Donna's hand. "And his girlfriend and my friend, Leah." Leah smiled politely.

"Well, a small party; that makes things easier for us. How about mom?" Donna asked me.

We all visibly stiffened, but I answered her anyway. "I lost my mom in a car accident eleven years ago."

Donna tried to retreat from the touchy subject. "Oh, I'm sorry about that. Well, why don't you tell me about your preferences? Do you prefer lace, no lace, bling, no bling, ball gown, mermaid gown, fitted not fitted—the works."

"Well, I'd like some lace, a little bit of bling, um…not a ball gown, but something smaller than a ball gown and possibly strapless. Oh, and I'm not opposed to bohemian style stuff, either," I added.

Donna said, "One last thing; what's your budget?"

"Thirteen hundred, no more than that."

And with that, Donna and I went straight to the sales racks. I went through rack after rack after rack of white wedding dresses, some with little spots of color, but mostly full white. I pulled a few out, some that I thought looked really pretty, while Donna already had a stack. She called me into a dressing room and helped me change out of my floral printed sun dress—crazy to wear for this kind of weather, I know—and into the first wedding dress.

The dress was very beautiful, with the lace on the strapless bodice and some bling on it as well. It had a short train in the back and billowed slightly away from me as I walked out to the catwalk where my family was waiting. They gasped and clapped as I walked onto the catwalk in front of the mirror to get a better look at myself—as conceited as that sounds.

It flattered me in all the right places, but it didn't give me that flutter in my stomach that tells me that this was my dress. Besides, it was only the first dress; I still had plenty more to try on.

"So," Donna said, "What do you guys think?"

"You look gorgeous, Serenity!" Leah burst out.

"Um, I think you should try on some more dresses," muttered Austin. "Maybe one with more coverage." He gestured to his shoulders, indicating how his were covered and mine were bare. I rolled my eyes.

"Daddy?" I asked.

He was sitting quietly and seemed to be calculating how I looked. He looked the way I felt, like it wasn't giving him that emotional overdrive that should be sending him to tears at seeing his little girl in her wedding dress about to get on with her life.

"I don't think it's the one," he said, shaking his head. I nodded my head in agreement.

"Serenity, what's on your mind, dear?" Donna looked at my face in the mirror.

"It just feels like…something's missing," I confessed. "I don't have the flutter in my stomach, and I feel like someone's missing, too." I turned from the mirror to see three smiling faces looking at me. I was confused until I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder.

The hand belonged to my Grandfather. My Uncle Ian was right behind him. I yelped in surprise and happiness, hugging them both tightly. "You're here! Oh, my goodness! I didn't think you guys would make it!"

Originally, I'd invited both of them to my appointment, but they said they couldn't go. I'd been really bummed about it, so having them here was really nice and made everything happier than before.

"You didn't really believe I'd miss Serena's girl getting into a hundred wedding gowns, did you?" Uncle Ian said. Uncle Ian is my mom's younger brother. He's married and has a baby with his wife over in California. He moved from La Push about a year before my mom's accident and hasn't forgiven himself since. Grandfather also lived in California, but Grandmother had died when I was eleven, so he lived by himself with visits from Uncle Ian to keep him company.

You're probably wondering what the deal is with my dad's parents—or if you weren't, then you are now. See, my grandmother was glad that my dad had gotten married with my mom because she was Quileute. Both of them, I mean. My grandfather was American—full American. I have no idea how he came to marry my grandmother. My grandfather wanted my dad to marry a—and these are his words, not mine—"white girl" like he should've. It was an argument that tore my grandparents apart. My grandmother got fed up with his issues and filed for a divorce.

They got a divorce and my grandfather left. For a while they lived with her, to keep her company, but then after they got married they moved into the house we live in now. Grandma got lonely, but Mom and Dad called often and kept them updated on Austin and, eventually, me. They took me to meet her when I was about two and then when I turned six. When my mother died, both my Grandfather and Grandma stayed to keep an eye on us for a couple months, and when we seemed alright and I had finally stopped crying a river, they left. Grandma was crying with me for the first week, but she quieted many, many weeks before I did.

She lives happily in Arizona, soaking up rays of sunshine and getting even tanner. I invited her to my wedding, so I hope she will come.

"Grandfather, I was just going to go back into the dressing room to try on another dress. This was the first one, but not the one I wanted. So I'll be right back, okay?" Seeing his nod of agreement, I turned and took Donna's outstretched hand to help me down from the catwalk.

We walked into the dressing room and out on the second dress. This one had spaghetti straps and a fitted bodice that hugged my figure in all the right places. There were swirls of lace patterned on the bodice as well, and a heart-shaped neckline.

"Wow, Serenity," Donna said as she moved my thick, ankle-length hair out of the way of the zipper, "You've got _really _long hair!"

"Yeah. I know," I said with a eye roll.

We walked out and I once again took my place on the catwalk. It looked nice, but compared to the first one, I liked the first one better. My audience gave me praise, but still didn't approve of it. I donned several other dresses, and I was starting to lose faith that I would even find one, until I tried on one of the last few dresses. It literally took my breath away.

It was a spaghetti-strapped number that fit perfectly right on my waist, my chest, and my abdomen. It had swirly patterns of pearls on its bodice like the second one and flowed billowishly down to the floor where even the slightest movement made it seem like a wind-machine was blowing at it. It was perfect and it was giving me butterflies. I looked up as if I could see my mom gazing down on me and telling me, "_This is your dress, baby. This is the one. Take it."_

I went to the catwalk and looked at my reflection in the mirror. I looked and felt like a bride on my wedding day, walking down the aisle. The silence behind me caused me to turn around. The reactions were all the same, but I was left staring intently at Grandfather, Dad, and Uncle Ian. Because they were staring intently at me, too.

"I love this dress. What do you think? Leah?" I asked.

"Wow, you look so…. Wow. Like a bride on her wedding day," Leah said in a hushed voice. Since having imprinted on my brother, she has been nicer and less of a b**th to everyone. Especially to Austin.

I smiled and moved on to Austin. "What do you think, bro?"

"It looks… perfect. I absolutely think it's the one." Austin's smile was one of older brotherly pride.

"Daddy?"

He didn't say anything for a while. "It's perfect. I agree with Austin. It's got to be the one."

"Uncle Ian?"

"Believe me when I say you're a spitting image, kiddo. It's your dress," he said, shaking his head as if to clear it.

"It all comes down to you, Grandfather. I really think mom would want me to buy this dress," I confessed. Embarrassingly, tears began to slide down my cheeks and I reached up quickly to wipe them away. "Oh, here come the water works," I laughed tearfully.

"You look exactly like your mother on her wedding day, Serenity. Absolutely ravishing in that dress and glowing with happiness. Your mother would very much want you to buy this dress. It is the one. End of discussion." Grandfather smiled at me and nodded.

"So," Donna said, "Is this your dress?"

"Yes, absolutely; this is my dress," I laughed. Cheers erupted from my family and we all hugged. Donna took me to the dressing room where I changed back into my floral print dress and bagged up the wedding dress. She took it to the cash register and rang it up, the numbers 1250$ showing up on the computer screen. I handed her a check from my checkbook and she started working behind the desk.

We finally left the bridal shop with my dress in a giant black bag, which we stuffed in the trunk. Uncle Ian had driven in his car with Grandfather, so I told him to meet up with me at our house. I was in such a good mood that I turned on the radio and sang along with it for the entire two-hour ride home from Seattle to Portland to finally La Push.

I parked in my driveway, hopped out of the car, and gave a little shriek when I was snagged from behind by my waist. I hit my fiancée in the shoulder as he chuckled at my shriek.

"Jacob! You scared me!" I accused him with a glare. But I couldn't hold that glare for long before it melted into a loving gaze.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Jacob apologized with a kiss on my lips. I smiled against his lips as I leaned in closer. The simultaneous slam of five car doors broke us apart, but I winked at Jacob before I turned to face them.

"So how did the appointment go? Did you find a dress?" Jacob asked me. I came around to the trunk and opened it, taking out the bag and shaking it a little to answer his question.

"Yes I did, and it's absolutely perfect. But you can't see it until I see you at the altar in the chapel," I tell him, a teasing smile on my face. Jacob pretended to pout, but I just rolled my eyes. "Let's go inside, I gotta make dinner."

We all complied, shuffling into our cozy house and making ourselves at home. I ran upstairs to leave the dress in my closet and then ran back down into the kitchen to make dinner. While cooking, I couldn't help but think about tomorrow. Tomorrow would've been my mother's thirty-ninth birthday. Since the day she died, I have gone to the cemetery on her birthday every year and went to my mother's grave to leave a bouquet of carnations before her gravestone and talk to her. I would talk to her for hours as if she were sitting right in front of me and listening to every word I said.

Extremely warm arms wrapped around my waist from behind me as I chopped at some peppers to make spaghetti. I leaned backward into the backwards embrace and sighed happily.

"I take it from the way you're not even looking at the pepper you're slicing while slicing it that you're thinking of tomorrow. Correct me if I'm wrong." Jacob's breath was warm at my ear, making me shiver involuntarily.

"You're… not wrong," I told him, pausing as the heat of his face, which he'd buried in my hair, warmed my neck.

I knew he noticed that he'd distracted me because of what he did next. He blew his hot breath down my neck. "Mmhmm."

I closed my eyes and stretched my neck to the side, sighing a little. There was tension in my neck and shoulders, so what he was doing felt good; way better than I'd admit to him. It might be too much for his ego to take; cough cough. "Babe, no don't do that…" He started nipping at my neck a little. "No, seriously, don't do that. We have people here, and unlike your house, I don't have a wall blocking the kitchen from view," I protested.

He ignored me, seeming not to care if we were caught. I groaned softly at his stubbornness. But I had to smile nonetheless because this hunk of stubbornness was mine. And in three days, even the law will say so. "Babe, really, please stop, I'm trying to cook!" I laughed. He finally let off, laughing with me.

"Okay, okay, I surrender. So what are you making?" Jacob looked at the pot of boiling noodles on the stove, the tomato sauce in the jar, and the meat cooking in another pot as I continued chopping the peppers.

"Spaghetti. You wanna taste?"

Jacob's eyes lit up, but he knew I was teasing. That didn't mean he wasn't hopeful. "Sure, why not? But maybe later. I'm in the mood to just… be with you. I haven't seen you all day, and it's already six o'clock in the evening. Hours away from you make me twitchy and nervous. Imagine what days without you would make me," he chuckled humorlessly.

I nodded in agreement. "You would be a mess." Jacob glared playfully at me. I smiled at him lovingly. "But you'd be _my _mess." I kissed him sweetly before returning to my chopping. He sighed and rested his chin on my shoulder, watching me as I rapidly minced pepper after pepper.

"How do you do that so fast without cutting yourself?" He asked after a while.

"Practice," I replied, mincing two at a time to emphasize. I heard him mutter something under his breath. And it sounded suspiciously like "show-off." Hmm. I'd be having some words with him later for that...

"Are you wondering if your grandmother might come, too?" Jacob asked me. In truth, I had been wondering about it, but not right at that second. So I shrugged by way of answer. He shook his head on my shoulder, making his chin dig into it. I made a sound of indignation and hitched that shoulder up, knocking his chin with my bone. The audible sound of snapping jaws was oddly satisfying.

"If you aren't gonna help, then go to the living room so I can get something done over here," I told him. He rolled his eyes, but complied nonetheless, rubbing his jaw when he thought I wasn't looking. I sighed and shook my head affectionately. I looked up at the window above the sink right next to me, still chopping peppers.

I nearly screamed at what I saw. In the window, distorted by the dirt and grime on it, was a face as pale as paper and hair as black as the night behind it. The only things I could see clearly were the eyes, which were trained on me so maliciously that I would never forget them. When I'd looked up I hadn't stopped mincing, so when I'd gotten scared, I'd actually _sliced my own finger._ Not off, of course, but I had sliced a long line into my forefinger.

"Ouch!" I cried out and looked down as blood started pouring from my cut. And when I looked up again a second later, the face was gone. As if it'd never been there at all. Jacob was by my side in an instant, taking my bleeding hand into his and inspecting it.

The rest of them trailed in behind him worriedly, crowding around me and making inspections of their own. Through all of this, Uncle Ian came up with a Band-Aid, anti-septic spray, and a dark colored towel. He pushed his way through the crowd and abruptly sprayed my finger with the anti-septic spray without a word.

"Ow!" I yelped, irritated by his brisk manner. I mean, seriously, I just cut open my finger and all he does is put a stinging spray on it? Talk about rude. But I know he's just doing what everyone else should have—at least in his eyes—done. I clutched my finger to my chest and glared at him through narrowed eyes. Uncle Ian just stood there calmly, ignoring Jacob, who was also glaring at him beside me. Finally, I just thrust my finger toward him to he could put the Band-Aid on it.

When he finished he raised his eyebrows at me as if to say, _You gonna thank me, or what?_

"Thanks, Uncle Ian." Thanks for spraying my finger with that venom-in-a-bottle and making it sting even more!

"No problem, kiddo. You just have to be more careful in the kitchen. I'm pretty sure those peppers are inedible now, so I'll just throw them out." And so saying, he did so. With me glaring at his back.

"Well, I had an excuse to have cut myself!" I said without thinking. I clamped my hand on my mouth, shaking my finger when I felt the sting of the cut. In a few hours it would heal completely, but until then it would still hurt.

"What excuse would that be?" Jacob crossed his arms and looked at me in concern. I swallowed before looking at the window. Imagining the face with large dark eyes staring at me in the window made the hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up. I shuddered all over just thinking about it.

"I saw… something out the window. A face, all white like paper, and really dark hair. The eyes… they looked so… evil and they were just staring at me like that, like… I don't know, I can't describe it, but it was so scary. I think I actually stopped breathing." A breathy laugh escaped my lips.

We were all silent, contemplating what I'd said. On impulse, I looked up at Grandfather, a question in my eyes. _Is it one of them?_ My eyes asked.

He didn't answer my unspoken question. And, of course, being me, I took his silence as an answer. I could feel the blood drain from my face, and saw Dad and Leah and Jacob watch me blanch. I silently turned and drained the pasta noodles of water in the sink. Then I added the sauce to the meat and put them on the counter, reaching into cupboards and bringing out plates and cups. I served one plate, then another, and then another until they each took one.

We sat at the table and ate in almost silence, occasionally talking to each other and then eating again. I noticed how often my eyes kept flickering to the window all through dinner, and Jacob probably noticed, too because when I was next in line to wash my dishes, he offered to wash them for me. I sat down on the couch in the living room, intending to stay for a while, but getting sent to bed after yawning just _once._

I thumped around upstairs, changing into my usual tank top and shorts, brushing my teeth, braiding my ankle-length hair after taking it out of my messy bun, and climbing into bed after saying good night. I waited about an hour until everyone was long gone and heading into their rooms to climb out of bed and unlock the window. I had only been in bed for five minutes before Jacob opened the window and climbed into my room. Locking it firmly behind him, he climbed into bed next to me and held me close.

"Just go to sleep, babe. You need as much as you can get. The wedding's in only three—no, two days. Tomorrow Emily and Leah are taking you out in the morning until four, and then the pack is coming to get me. Then the night before the wedding I'm not allowed to come here at night. We need to spend as much time with each other as we can," Jacob whispered huskily in my ear.

"And then we get married and go on our two week only honeymoon. It kinda sucks that it's limited, huh?" I turned to him under the blankets to see his expression.

He brought his face closer to mine, our noses touching. "I guess. I mean, if you say so," he answered.

I pulled my face back slightly, smirking and arching an eyebrow. Jacob rolled his eyes, looking slightly embarrassed. "Well, I guess I _do _think it sucks. But I wouldn't admit that in your house, under your father's roof, _especially_ when I'm in his daughter's bed."

I laughed softly, pressing my lips to his. His response was immediate, his hand appearing behind my head, tugging me closer. In turn, my hands tangled themselves in his hair, trying to get as close to him as possible. I caught his bottom lip between my teeth and gently tugged. A growl, low and possessive, escaped his lips as he crushed his lips back to mine. The depth of my own response unnerved me slightly, but I was too far gone in sensation to care. His scent filled my senses, drowning out everything else as hot, tingling sensations spread out through my body.

We probably wouldn't even have stopped if we hadn't heard the muted thuds of pillows hitting the floor after we accidentally pushed them off the bed. For several heartbeats, we just panted in each other's faces in the darkness. I leaned my forehead against Jacob's, kissing his lips once more before sitting up to retrieve the pillows.

Stuffing them under our heads, I plopped down beside him, stomach down. His arm curled around my waist under the covers. I turned my head in his direction.

"Maybe we should save that for after the wedding," I suggested. I don't have the slightest idea how I kept a straight face while saying that, but I managed it. Even in the dark I could see his face darkening with embarrassment. But I just kissed his nose, put my arm around his torso, and closed my eyes. "I love you."

A pair of scorching lips kissed my forehead. "I love you too."

We both fell asleep quite quickly after that.

**So, what do you think? I hope you guys like it! Took me three days to get this done, due to time shortage, but I finished it! Please review, I would love to know what y'all think, especially since I haven't heard from you guys in such a long time, like you haven't heard from me. Until now. **

**Review!**

**Ciao!**

**~Alee V.**


	3. Girls' Day Out Guaranteed Trouble Prt 1

**Me: Hey, y'all! What's shakin'? **

**Serenity: Nothing much; what about you? **

**Me: Just writing yours and Jacob's romance story.**

**Serenity: Well, could you let up on all the heartbreak, please? I swear, in your hands, I'll have a heart attack before I reach the age of nineteen.**

**Me: No way! I have to put some drama in there somewhere! And besides, I control your destiny. Oh, that sounded cheesy, didn't it?**

**Serenity: Pretty much, yeah.**

**Me: Whatever; just say the disclaimer already.**

**Serenity: Okay, okay, jeez; pushy much? Puckabrina Alee does not own anything but me, my brother, my father, anything and anyone that you don't recognize from the Twilight books, and the entire plot. Well, this time she does.**

**Me: I finally own the plot! Yes, and this one is exciting and awesome, so learn it, live it, love it!**

**Serenity: Do I have a choice?**

_**Please review!**_

"I have the whole day planned out perfectly! First, we'll go to the mall in Portland, then we'll go to a couple of the stores around the block, you know the ones? And then we'll have lunch at this really good restaurant I found the other day. The food is delicious!"

I yawned and rubbed my eyes as I listened to Kim's constant chatter at the table of my dining room. I've been listening to that awfully cheery voice since nine o'clock in the morning and I still haven't had my coffee yet. If she kept this up for the entire girls' day out, there would definitely be hell to pay from a certain imprint that supposedly couldn't make it and sent Kim in her place. Cough—Rachel—cough.

"Kim," I interrupted finally. "Listen, honey," I said to her in a gentle tone as I took her shoulders in my hands. "I need you to _stop talking. _Save your breath, please, you'll have plenty of time to talk at the reception the day after tomorrow, but please; this morning, I want some peace."

Thankfully, she nodded and pressed her lips shut. I seriously thought my ears were bleeding; she would _just not stop!_ Jeez, she wasn't like this when I first met her; she'd been awfully quiet and not at all talkative. Then she came out of her shell and started talking a mile a minute. I didn't know quite what bothered me this morning, since I wasn't usually this irritated by the constant stream of words flowing and spewing out of her mouth. Maybe it was the fact that I hadn't seen Jacob in my bed this morning like I'd grown accustomed to. Ha, more like dependent on in my case.

Leah walked into the dining room from the kitchen, holding several mugs of coffee in her hands. I gratefully took mine and sipped at it tentatively before making a face. Ugh; I needed cream pronto. As I stood up and grabbed some from the fridge, Leah said, "So are we getting out of here, or what? It's eleven already."

She was right. I stole a glance at the digital clock over the stove and nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

Taking my cup of coffee with me, I walked out the door and waited for them to all get out after me. For some reason I was impatient. They were walking so slowly, taking their precious time. I tried not to mind. I locked the door and stepped off the porch to Emily's car. We all climbed in and Emily reversed out of the driveway.

Our little girls' party consisted of me, Emily, Leah, Kim, and my friends from school, who were going to meet us at the mall in Portland. Brianne, Addison, and Jennifer were the only girls I had as friends before I met the pack imprints. For my birthday, they'd given me a charm bracelet with one specialized charm from each of them to remind me of them. Little did I know, then, just how significant they really were. But I'm getting ahead of myself; a good story can't be rushed!

The coffee filled me with a jittery shakiness that I didn't notice until I was knocking the mug back to suck the dregs at its bottom. My hands were shaking like leaves and I couldn't stop them. Well, this is what I get for drinking coffee first thing in the morning! I guess I never learn.

When we finally arrived at the mall, I couldn't keep my hands steady at all. I felt weird and jittery all over, excited for something that I just knew couldn't be shopping. See, I'm not really the kind of girl that enjoys shopping at malls or department stores, or any crowded place, for that matter. I don't enjoy clothes shopping like most girls my age do, or anything like that. The one thing I do enjoy is shopping for boots. I love the boots with heels, and sometimes with buckles too. It doesn't matter what kind of boots they are; hiking boots, dressing boots, work boots even. I will take sneakers or boots over heels.

"Where did you say we were gonna meet them?" Emily asked me. She was eyeing me funnily, probably noticing how badly I was shaking. I was trying to for a coherent answer to her question, several random words falling out of my mouth, particularly the word _coffee._

"Uhh, Hot Topic. I think. I can't remember. Wow, Kim, this coffee is _great _for waking people up, don'tcha think? Don'tcha, don'tcha, Don'tcha?" I chirped out. I was talking too fast and everything came out garbled. But this coffee is really great! I think I'll drink it every morning now! Wait, no, that's exactly what addicts say. Or is it something else? I don't remember, I can't think straight, and did I just see Leah take a step back? Aw, now I feel colder. At least, I think I do…. _I'm going insane over just one cup of coffee._

"Quick, Emily—I hear several things in my head at once! _How can I make it stop_?" I grabbed her by the shirt, and a few people looked at us weirdly. What? What were they looking at? I didn't tell _them_ how to live their lives!

Emily took my hands off the front of her shirt and led me to the mall bathrooms. They were completely empty, which was good because what she told me to do was something I really didn't want an audience for:

"Okay, I want you to run around the bathroom a little until you feel a little tired and then jump up and down; just keep moving, waste the excess energy you have. Then we'll go buy you something salty." She leaned against the door to keep others from entering. Leah and Kim were outside, waiting curiously. That was good `cause I doubt they'd ever let me live it down! Cue my displeased grimace.

I was so determined to let this energy out that I did exactly as she said—I even managed to let out some screams and bellow out some laughs, too. I was literally going wild in there.

All too soon, though, security came into the bathroom. Emily explained the situation, since I was too busy running around still—in a dress and strappy wedges, no less—with enough authority that the security allowed at least another five minutes for me to get some more energy out, but after that, we would have to book it. So I picked up my pace for the next five minutes, thankful enough to the security guard that I even called out as we left, "Thanks, Mister Security Guard!"

Of course, the nosey people of the mall just had to get up in my business; I got countless weird stares and looks. Jeez, what was with these people? See, this was why I didn't live in the city; people just can't mind their own beeswax. Cue my mental smirk. _Sure, _I thought to myself. That's _why you don't live in the city._

_Oh, whatever, Voice_, I thought at myself. See, I'm not thinking _to_ myself; I'm thinking _at _myself. I am _never_ drinking coffee again.

Meanwhile, Leah was eyeing me suspiciously. "I'm not even going to ask what happened in there," she informed me. As if I needed to be informed. As if I was going to tell her anyway. Uh, yeah, I don't see that happening. Running around like that had actually helped me get rid of most of that extra energy that I had gotten from the caffeine, so I was much less jittery.

I rolled my eyes. "You say that as if I was actually going to tell you," I told her with an arched brow. She seemed to think about that for a second; I got her! Then she shrugged and muttered under her breath.

"Whatever," I heard her mutter.

Talk about rude. But anyway, true to her word, Emily stopped by a food station in the plaza and bought me some crackers, refusing the money I tried to give her to pay. I just hate when people buy you things and when you try to pay them back, they don't take the money. I, for one, secretly think that they really do want to take the money, but won't so that they seem humble or modest or something ridiculous like that. It gets annoying sometimes.

So we walked to the Hot Topic in the mall, sifting through a few clothes racks as we looked for the girls. Our search was successful about fifteen minutes in.

"Serenity!" all three of them exclaimed at the same time. Wow, you'd have thought they'd rehearsed it. It was literally at the same time. If I were more human, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. "Is it really you, girl?"

"Mornin', ladies!" I grinned brightly at them as I hugged them all. "It's been too long! Oh, I've missed you guys!"

"Oh, yeah; it's the real Serenity, alright," Brianne said. "Only the _real_ Serenity would call us _guys._ You will never learn, will you?" Everyone laughed. Seems I'm not the only one who thinks not.

"I guess not," I said with a shrug. The girls rolled their eyes. "Anyhow," I continued, "intros! Guys, this is my friend-slash-motherly- figure, Emily." Brianne, Addison, and Jennifer all shook her hand. "This is my friend, Kim the Chatter Box." I earned a smack in the arm for that one. "And my possible sister-in-law, Leah." They shook her hand, but I saw a flash of something in their eyes. Jealousy.

All three of them had hopelessly huge crushes on my older brother. They thought he was hot and strong and nice—and while I knew it was all true, it was still weird to think that my friends, who are my age, actually liked my big brother that way. _My _big brother, who wears boxers with rubber ducks on them when nobody's home, except me. My big brother, who I have belching contests with on the weekends when we have lazy days. My big brother, who has finally met his soul mate.

"Possible soon-to-be-maybe-sister-in-law," Leah corrected me. I knew she saw the expression in their eyes. Either she was rubbing it in, or she was being territorial. Both options were coming from Leah and her inner wolf. This was going to get heated real fast if I didn't interfere. Although, I was pretty curious about how far the girls would go, and how far Leah would go, too. On the other hand, if this got physical, the girls would take the worst end of it, and we would get kicked out of the mall. So, being the kind of person I am, I intervened.

"Well, guys, where do you wanna start? I know you've got plenty of plans to keep us all busy for hours," I added sourly. With my luck, this _would_ last hours. Long, painful, _agonizing _hours. Lord, take me now.

After a few fleeting glares at Leah, Addison turned to me. "Well, we could go shopping for honeymoon clothes, clothes for after the wedding, clothes to just wear, maybe even some shoes. It's all up to you."

Yeah; I'm so sure. The last time she said that, she said she wouldn't get me a birthday present. And look what I got that day.

"I think we should start with the honeymoon clothes," Brianne said. Her eyebrows wagged suggestively, and I knew I was in trouble.

"What would you make me buy for honeymoon clothes?" I asked even though I knew the answer. Somehow, I doubted it would be flannel pajamas.

"Well, follow me and you'll see," She said. And we followed her as she strutted out of the Hot Topic and toward the escalator. Oh boy.

I literally groaned as we entered the Victoria's Secret. I saw her make a direct beeline to the underwear section and pull out the skimpiest thing I'd ever seen. Pink and see-through, she'd pulled out a slip. It had some feathers and fluffy stuff on the hem, immediately putting me off even more that I already was. Her smirk of triumph was just too overbearing for me.

"Uh, no, absolutely not. I am not wearing that thing!" I put my arms out in front of me to keep it at a distance. Brianne frowned at my reaction.

"Why not? Give you a sexy edge, I think."

My head snapped toward the speaker. Of course it just had to be Leah. Why not? Why _not?_ I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that! I could just imagine the looks on Dad's and Austin's faces if I came home with a Victoria's Secret bag filled with slips, lacey bras, and—Heaven forbid—_thongs, _like I'm so sure they'd make me buy. Insert four-letter-word here. I'd be grounded till I was thirty, eighteen years old or not.

Traitor.

"Well, because for one thing, I don't want to look so provocative. Second, it's pink and looks like it's trying too hard, and third, it hardly covers anything! I swear my _bra_ gives me more coverage than that thing!" I listed on my fingers.

"Oh come on! Emily would buy one," Kim insisted. I dragged my hand down my face in aggravation.

"Kim," I said to her as though I was talking to a five year old. "In case you've forgotten, or you didn't get the memo, Emily can't get one because of Sammy Junior. Meaning, she's freakin' pregnant, Kimmy!" I laughed as Kim's face darkened with color.

Oh, did I forget to mention that? Yeah, Emily's pregnant with Sam's daughter or son. They'd gotten married a month before Jacob proposed to me. On Valentine's Day, no less. It was really romantic, with hearts and roses everywhere. A lot of friends and family came both because it was their wedding, and because it sort of acted like a Valentine's party of sorts. Then, we had a baby shower some weeks after my birthday where Sam couldn't stop grinning like a fool. I was so happy for them, and it made me remember just how much I wanted a child of my own. How I'd always wanted one since I was a little girl. Funny how that was pretty much the only girly factor in me back in those days. I wanted to be just as good a mother as my own mother was.

They wanted to keep the sex a surprise, so they got a whole lot of unisex baby clothes, strollers, high-chairs and baby supplies like bottles and blankets. Several games were played, including the one where you can't cross your legs or you're out. I lost that game immediately. Not that I was complaining. I just can't sit without crossing my legs in some way, or I go crazy.

Anyway, back to the present….

"I knew that!" Kim said defensively. "I was just saying she would buy one. If she could."

"Right. Sure, whatever you say, Kim. Emily, would you buy a slip like that?" I asked her with a smirk on my face.

"Uh, well, I don't think so. Not really," she said. I looked into her eyes. She looked sincere, and her words had a ring of truth to them, so I believed her.

"Come on, please? At least one," Jennifer pleaded me. Oh gosh, no; here come the Bambi eyes. Her chocolate brown eyes were wide and pleading, gazing up at my cold and hard ones. Even though her eyes were annoying as heck, and not working at all, I relented. I mean, really—what could it hurt?

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, _fine; _I'll get one." The girls squealed. "But," I interrupted them, "_you_ guys have to buy it for me, and it has to be black. And only one!"

Whether my words fell on deaf ears, I don't know, because they were already running to the registers. The kind of company I keep, man. Jeez.

For the next four hours, we walked into every store in the mall. Restaurants, clothes stores, everything. For women, or not. For people, or not. They seemed to be keeping me busy—successfully.

I'd be lying if I said it wasn't fun. But I couldn't say I was really fond of walking into a department store that sold nothing but perfume. It was horrible. Intoxicating. Gag worthy. Stomach churning. I held my breath for all of six minutes before I had to run into their bathrooms. I threw up everything I had in my stomach—which wasn't much. Just the coffee. However, I wasn't alone. Leah had just as good smelling senses as I did. But it was worse for her.

She couldn't hold her breath. She'd been forced to breath in the intoxicating fumes, while I got lucky enough. She threw up in the stall right beside mine. When we came out of our stalls, we stared at each other for three seconds. Then we burst out laughing. Weakly, though, in case we had to throw up again. We rinsed out our mouths in the sinks, and turned tail and ran out of that store as fast as we could—in human speed and heels. Well, heels in her case.

Emily, Kim, and the girls were slower than we were to get out of the store. Emily actually bought something from the store. I could definitely see the wheels turning in her head for the reason she bought the perfume. If it worked to make Leah and me miserable, her reason said, then it could be useful against Sam if he didn't take his fair share of baby-duty. I chocked back a laugh.

"Can we go to that restaurant now?" Kim asked in a tired voice. "I'm _starving._"

"I gotta tell you the truth; so am I," Emily chipped in. Leah and the girls raised their hands as if to say, _we second that motion. _ They all looked to me. What were they looking at me for? I wasn't the one with the car! People these days—jeesh!

I said as much to them out loud, and they all hurried to the exit. I almost groaned in relief; we're done! We climbed in the car and drove to the restaurant Kim had mentioned in the mall. As soon as we were seated, we scanned the menus and came up with our orders. In two minutes flat. `Cause that's how we roll.

The waiter walked up to our table with a smile. But I could see his attention was averted a little below our faces. Ugh, the perv. He was medium height, actually a little shorter than me when I'm in my bare feet. His light brown hair was spiked with gel and his freckles were prominent on his pale skin. A normal looking teenager, about my age or nineteen, twenty at the oldest. Sixteen, however, at the youngest.

"Hello, ladies, my name is Dan, and I'll be your server this fine afternoon," he said. His voice insinuated high self-confidence; cockiness. I looked out the window beside our booth table at the gray, sad-looking clouds and back at him pointedly. He took no notice of the scenery out the window. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Can I get you lovely ladies some drinks to start you off?"

I plastered a polite smile on my face. "As a matter of fact, yes you can. I would like a Dr. Pepper, please," I said. He scribbled it down on his notepad. Either he just winked at me, or his eye twitched spastically. Resisting the urge to gag, as I must. Man, this guy must be blind if he can't see the ring on my finger. I have the strangest urges to be rude to people today. I have not seen Jacob all day. I'm a nervous wreck. Plus, I have a certain thing to take care of before we go home, so I'm nervous about that, too. I'm simply on edge.

"I'll take water," Emily said quietly without looking at Dan. He wrote it down.

"I'll take a Coke, please," Leah raised her fingers to him. He didn't look at his notepad as he wrote it down; taking her in while he thought she wasn't looking. I cleared my throat to get his attention. Dan looked to me; I pointed to the girls beside me, one brow raised.

"We'll all get diet Coke, please," Jennifer said. She was staring him down, a challenge in her eyes. _Try something, _her eyes seemed to say, _and see what happens._ She truly is a force to be reckoned with. I admired that about her. One of the bravest humans I'd ever met.

Dan looked over the table again, seemingly not in a hurry to return to his other tables. "I'll get those drinks to you, right away."

"Wait," Kim said. He paused and turned to us again, a cocky smile on his face. _Not on your life, sport, _I thought. "We're ready to order, too," Kim said to him, "and you didn't ask me what I wanted to drink."

"Oh, I'm sorry," he apologized. "What would you like to order?" his eyes were once again below my face. In irritation, I took his chin in my hand and tipped it up so he was looking in my eyes instead of at my chest.

"My eyes are up here," I told him icily. His face turned beet red as he sputtered. "And I'd like the BLT, if it's not too much trouble."

"N-not at all," he stuttered. "And you, ma'am?" Kim thought for a moment.

"I'll take the chicken pasta, please," she said oh-so-sweetly. Not. "And a Dr. Pepper, as well."

"Okay; and you?"

"The BLT, as well," Leah told him in her old b****y voice. She still used that voice on Sam when he gets annoyingly dominant. He forgets sometimes, that he's not her alpha anymore. That she's not part of his pack anymore. That she's not in love with him anymore.

"I'd like the New York, steak, well-done, with a side of mashed potatoes and vegetables, please," Emily smiled wistfully. I chuckled at her expression. She looked like she could already taste the food. Her cravings always included meat, no matter what. It could be steak, ribs, anything that she thought went with whatever else she was craving.

"Would you like butter with your mashed potatoes?" Dan asked.

Emily looked at him, startled, as if she'd forgotten he was there. Then she nodded. The girls ordered, and Dan went to the kitchen to relay the order. In the silence that followed his departure, we laughed.

"I can't believe you did that!" Addison laughed.

"I can! I knew that if I didn't do that, she definitely would!" Leah said. The moment the words left her mouth, the girls' laughter sounded more forced. And I thought I knew why. For a long time, they were the only ones—besides Jacob, Quil, and Embry—who knew almost everything about me—except for my powers, of course. They didn't like that anyone else knew me better than they did. They didn't like the feeling they had—the feeling of replacement.

Deep inside, I immediately wanted to hug them, to tell them that I could never replace them with anyone no matter what. I wanted to console them, to reassure them and banish their insecurities. Of course, I couldn't do so in front of the other three, so I settled for linking arms with Brianne, who was right next to me. The other two followed suit until all four of us were linked, except for Addison and me, because we were at the ends. To them, this was so many words in one gesture. All the words they know I would say if we were alone.

"But, ugh, that kid was such a creep!" I shuddered. "I'm glad I did what I did. Imagine he asked one of us out—you know what I would say? I'd say, 'Uh, no thanks; I'm married, as you would've noticed if you weren't so fascinated with my boobs'." I brought my left hand in front of my face, pointing to my engagement ring with my right index finger. We all cracked up.

"Hello, how are we doing today, ladies?"

We immediately sobered up and fell silent at the unfamiliar voice. Another waiter had appeared at our booth without us knowing it. We were too busy laughing to notice. Well, like I always say, having fun makes you blind to the world around you—err, something like that. And almost always. Anyways…

"Fine, thank you," I replied, ever the polite one. "Is there a problem, sir?"

"No, not at all, I just wanted you to know that I'll be taking over from now on, as Dan just went on his lunch break. Is that alright?" This guy was a stark contrast to Dan. With skin as dark as cocoa, and ranging in height from six ft. to five-foot-ten, he was much better. Plus, he was actually looking at us, not our chests. Although I suspect it has something to do with the wedding ring on his left hand. A good man, a good man.

"Absolutely, thank you very much," I replied with a genuine smile.

"My name's Mark, by the way, and I'll get your drinks here in a minute." And with that, he left to get them.

"Hmm," I said in the silence. "I like him better." And we all started laughing again.

"Here you are," Mark said as he returned with our drinks. "One water, two Dr. Peppers, and three diet Cokes, along with one regular. And your food is cooking in the kitchen, alright? Enjoy."

"Much better," Leah agreed as she sipped at her Coke. Twenty minutes of hearing our stomachs growl later, Mark came by with our food. As soon as we were sure he was back in the kitchen, we started stuffing our faces. Literally. Especially Emily, the poor thing; she had not one, but two hungry stomachs to feed. Now, to another person the sight of seven women gorging themselves with what might be considered fattening foods would make them take a double-take.

"Remind me to thank the guy—Marcus? Was that his name?" Brianne told us huffily when we were finished.

_Marcus? Was that his name?_

_Was that his name? Marcus?_

_Marcus?_

_Marcus._

That name brought me to another time and place. Suddenly, I wasn't in the restaurant with my friends anymore. I was someplace else.

The air was sharp and cold, though I didn't feel it. I was in a familiar clearing, anticipation hot and heavy in the atmosphere. All around me, alabaster statues were crouched defensively; muscles coiled and ready to pounce if necessary. There was an eerie silence that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand straight on edge. And all the while the statues were looking straight ahead at the enemy—an army of hooded figures, a hundred yards away from us. Loud, fast heartbeats surrounded the clearing, and I glanced in their direction.

Wolves, obviously not the norm of the forest, stood stoic and proud in the underbrush, hidden from the enemy's direct vision. While we were outnumbered, we were certainly fearsome. Snow fell softly and silently from the sky, landing without so much as a sound on the white, frozen ground of the clearing. One gentle breath brought my gaze to the real reason that we were all here with our lives on the line, the real reason why the view of the softly fallen snow couldn't be enjoyed for its beauty and peacefulness: Renesmee had her tiny hand in my hair, a strand of it locked in her fist with a vise-like grip.

She was clinging to her mother's back, Bella, whom I'd hated so much before. In front of them was Edward, Bella's husband and Renesmee's father. And hidden slightly in the underbrush, like the rest of the wolves, was my Jacob. _My _Jacob, waiting by my side to die with me if necessary. That was the worst part of it all. We were all lined up to die. Regardless of who or what we were protecting, we were inevitably lined up, ready to die within a moment's notice. It was discerning, stomach wrenching, horrifying, and petrifying.

"Serenity? Serenity, are you okay?" I was faintly aware of Brianne shaking my shoulder, attempting to revive me from my internal hell, without success. I was a million miles away, tortured and trapped in those horrible memories. I'd been a hair's breath away from death, had literally looked it in the eye and come out of it alive. That had just been a large piece of luck. None of us would have made it out of there without it. And yet, against all odds, we'd left death hanging, scared it away with its tail between its legs. But that didn't lighten the weight of heart-wrenching terror that came with the remembrance.

"Oh, god, what just happened? What did I do? Wha—did you here that? Oh, god, what's wrong with her?" Brianne's voice rose up an octave for each sentence she spoke. That much my subconscious could gather in its tortured fogginess. As for the question about the noise, well, I was pretty sure I had just made an awful noise that resembled a person being punched in the gut. I think I even hunched over as I did so.

"Hey, hey, just give her some space, okay? She's fine, just some ghosts hovering around in there; nothing you need to worry about." _Leah,_ my subconscious provided me with her name. She knew what was going through my head—she'd been there herself. Back in the clearing, I looked back, behind the row of vamps that were behind me. I could make out her small, lithe form hidden in the underbrush just a little closer the wolf in front of her. Seth. She was readying herself to jump in front of him protectively, I could tell. Just as I was prepared to do for Jacob, even though he was the one in wolf-form, not me. It didn't matter to me; just so long as he got out of there alive. Safe and sound.

I'm not sure how I looked to the girls, but it must have been bad enough to make someone say, "Someone needs to get Jacob on the phone. I have a feeling it would be the only thing to get her out of that place in her mind where she's so obviously torturing herself. Please, get him on the phone." Well, this person had a great feeling. I suspected the voice was Emily's because of the way it sounded thick with tears. She would be hurting because of her hormones; not because I was hurting. Somehow, as the thought crossed my mind, I didn't believe it was true. Maybe she was hurting _for_ me. Not _because_ of me.

A million miles away from me, someone at our booth rustled up a cell phone and held it to my ear, the dial tone ringing and informing me that I was waiting for someone to pick up. After about six rings, someone answered.

"Leah? What's up?"

The sound of the husky voice on the other end returned the air to my lungs. I hadn't even realized I wasn't breathing till that moment. My intake of breath was loud and thick, tears running down my face unchecked. Relief flooded me, and for a moment I was speechless. Then I found my voice.

"Jacob? Baby, are you okay? Are you there?" It took some effort, but I finally chocked them out of my tight throat.

"Serenity? Are you crying? What's the matter? Don't cry, please don't cry," he pleaded me, sounding heart-broken that I was in pain. I sniffled involuntarily.

"They came back, but I wasn't dreaming. I was wide awake and it only took a name to trigger them." I heard him curse under his breath over the phone. He knew what I was talking about. How could he not when he'd been helping me deal with them and occasionally experiencing them himself?

Since the incident in the clearing last year, I'd been having flash backs about that day. But my mind had been twisting the events into horrible outcomes—slaughter, death, bloodbaths, and everything in between. Not one of those memories had featured any of us coming out of that clearing alive. We'd all died there, covered in our own blood, left to rot or be eaten by scavengers or predators looking for an easy meal.

Our families had been left to deal with the aftermath—depression, rebellion, and, worst of all, suicide were all occurrences in those nightmares. But at the time, that was all they had been—nightmares. Occasionally, things like what had just happened would occur, but Jacob had always been there to bring me out. He'd always been there to hold me when I'd screamed and thrashed my way out of a nightmare, mumbling soft reassurances and holding me tighter when I trembled with the backlashes of the excess adrenaline caused by the dreams.

And I, in turn, had done the same thing for him, though he having those nightmares was a rarity. He'd only had them all of four times, while I had them too many times to count. They'd been lessening in frequency, but they still came sometimes. We couldn't figure out the pattern of which they came—was it because of a song I'd heard that day that I'd heard prior to the day in the clearing? Was it because of because of something I'd said that day that I'd said before the aforementioned day? We've been recording everything in a little journal that we had and kept with us in a pocket or purse. And still, no noticeable pattern.

"What happened this time?" Jacob asked me, wariness creeping into his voice.

"Nothing, I was just looking around, noticing everything. But the feelings were much stronger, and I noticed some details that I hadn't noticed in the other ones," I told him in a small voice. There was silence on his end and I realized he had just nodded to himself. "Are you nodding? 'Cause you know I can't see you, right, you big goof?"

We laughed softly, remembering the similar words I'd said to him over the phone exactly a couple of days or weeks before the clearing day. But that memory didn't trigger anything about the incident. Rather, it filled me with warmth and tingles all over my body that weren't entirely uncomfortable. It reminded me of the conversation we'd had in which we'd both been declaring and confessing our love for each other. Thank God I found this man, my soul mate.

"Well, Sam and Embry just figured out that it's not really Leah I'm talking to, and they're all coming towards me, so I think I gotta go now, see you I-don't-know-when, bye! I love you!" I could hear some voices in the background, unmistakably Paul, Quil, and—surprisingly—Claire. Her three-year-old voice was begging Paul and Quil to "wet dem twak, Qwil! Pweeease, Pawl?"

The whole thing was cute—all two seconds of it, anyway. That's how much I got to hear until I heard some rustling near the mouth piece of Jacob's cell phone, and I realized that he and someone else—probably Paul—were fighting over the phone. So I took that as my cue to say goodbye.

"Bye, babe, I love you too!" and with that, I hung up and gave Leah her phone back. I smiled gratefully at her, and she smiled back, nodding as if to say, _no problem._ Brianne was apologizing to me flusteredly, her hands fluttering near her face in a way that reminded me of someone hyperventilating. Or swatting at a fly.

After we paid for the bill for our food and I'd convinced Brianne that the incident back at the table wasn't her fault, and that she couldn't have known about it, we were more or less in a good, satisfied mood. Well, a good enough mood that we were all joking around and laughing boisterously, ignoring the looks we got from the townies and city people. What was their problem? Was it really such a big deal for seven women from the Quileute reservation to be walking among them like we were? They had problems. Big problems.

Or they were staring at how long my hair was. Ankle-length and still growing. I'd have to get a haircut soon….

"Well, now that Miss I'm-About-To-Get-Married-In-Two-Days had at least heard from the hubby, we don't have to worry about her going all hungry-tiger on us," Leah jibbed, earning laughs and a light shove on the shoulder from me. Ha, angry tiger ain't got nothing on a girl with PMS. Not that I had PMS, I'm just saying. Don't y'all look at me like that! Creeps…

"Yeah right, you're just lucky I didn't go all PMS on you guys," I retorted, watching her face for her reaction. Not what I was expecting. At all.

Leah froze, every muscle in her body seeming to go rigid, her face a mask of shock and disbelief. "You…still get your periods?" her voice was hushed, as if she wasn't sure she wanted to hear my answer.

"Uh, yeah, every month…. Why?" She was seriously starting to worry me. I mean, her face was one of a person who's just received the shock of her life, and her hands were clenching and unclenching, as if she wanted to wring someone's neck. Hopefully not mine.

"How? How do you still get them? I don't get them, why do you? It's not fair, it's just not fair!" the last part was sobbed, but soft. We were sitting on a park bench, all seven of us, and I was sitting right next to her. I took her in my arms and hugged her fiercely, knowing she needed someone to keep her together. And if nobody else would do it, then I would, willingly.

"Are you sure you want explanations? Because until now, I didn't know you didn't get them," I told her. She nodded into my shoulder. I blew out a sigh. How do I explain something I can't even explain to myself? Well, I start with what I know.

"Well, I've gotten my periods since I was ten, and I Shifted for the first time when I was twelve. I didn't even have my mom to help me with that; just my dad and brother. I can't even begin to tell you how embarrassing that was," I laughed a little, and they all laughed with me. "When I Shifted—and continued Shifting after that—my periods didn't suddenly disappear, or gradually go away. They kept coming every month. But when I'm on it, my body—or my wolf—doesn't let me Shift. It makes me stay in human form. I don't know why, but if I even attempt to Shift, nothing happens.

"The first time I tried to Shift when I was on my period, I completely freaked out. I thought I'd lost my wolf or something. That was my last day, though, so when I tried to Shift the next day and it was successful, I figured it out. You're actually lucky, you know," I told Leah, who was now sitting up straight and wiping her eyes. "You don't have to deal with blood flowing out from between your legs for a whole freakin' week! Ugh, it's the worst! Maybe my wolf doesn't let me Shift when I'm on my period so I won't be tracked while I run. 'Cause trust me, it gets messy when you try to run."

Everyone except Leah grimaced as we related to my words. Then we shuddered. Enough period talk, now. What a nightmare.

After twenty more minutes of walking, we decided to head back to the car. On our way, though, I had the feeling that someone was watching us. No, watching _me._ I couldn't shake the feeling, so as we walked, I snuck a peek both ways from my peripheral vision. Nothing suspicious over there, a woman trying to apply eyeliner while walking through a huge crowd of people over there. Then, I did a casual 180 turn, smiling as if I were just twirling for no reason.

And caught sight of something I immediately wished I hadn't.

Like the night before, my heart stopped as the face, white as paper, stared at me maliciously out the window of an abandoned shop which I was pretty sure used to be a toy shop. Also like the night before, the eyes were the most prominent feature, burning holes through my head as the stare literally seemed to turn more and more malicious and evil by the second. Black hair still framed the head, though this time the hands that cupped the eyes as if to see better through the window had black sleeves. And that was all I could see from where I stood, about thirty yards away.

I blinked once, and when I looked again at the window, the figure was gone, just like before. And just like before, I had been distracted. The girls and imprints were already at the car, calling me to attention. This thing is shaking me up. Horribly.

"So," Emily said from behind the wheel in her car when we were buckled up. "Where to next?"

"The cemetery," I said before anyone else could have input and make us go to another store. "I have to go to the cemetery."

Without another word, we sped off, bringing me closer to my destination where I could finally have at least an hour of peace.

Who would've known how much trouble a little shopping trip/girls' day out would bring me?

Just my luck.

**A/N: Yo! How do like this one? Good? Bad? Mleh? Tell me in a review! Please. And guess what? My birthday's on the 16****th**** of March! For those of you who are like, "Wait a minute…" yes, I gave Serenity my birthday in **_**Running Away**_**. I wasn't quite sure what date I wanted to make her birthday, so I went with mine. And that means that Serenity will technically be a year old, since she's been floating around in my head since my birthday of last year and I only recently got the guts to bring her to life on FF last summer. She's like an older version of me, except she's got a little more maturity, and the powers, of course! And it's all because of you guys. Thank you all so much! Please review!**

**P.S. I've been thinking about putting little unknown facts about **_**Running Away **_**and **_**Hanging in the Balance.**_**There are a lot of facts about the stories that you guys don't know, and I'm dying to share! LET ME KNOW IF YOU GUYS WANT THE UNKNOWN FACTS IN A REVIEW! **

**Ciao!**

**~Alee V.**

(First Love—Adele)

(Gravity—Sara Bareilles)

(King of Anything—Sara Bareilles)

(Make You Feel My Love—Adele)

(You Know I'm No Good—Amy Winehouse maybe)

(Rumour Has It—Adele)

(Glitter In the Air—Pink)

(Feeling Good—Michael Buble)

(Take It All—Adele)

(I Want You Back (iTunes Session)—Colbie Caillat)

(Dance, Dance—Fall Out Boy)

(Missing—Flyleaf)

(Who'd Have Known—Lilly Allen)

(Undertow—Sara Bareilles)

(Arms—Christina Perri)

(Killing Me Softly iTunes Session Colbie Caillat)

(What I Never Told You—Colbie Caillat)

(Never Too Late—Norah Jones)

(Back to Black—Amy Winehouse)

(Isn't she lovely—Glee Cast version)

(Let the Flames Begin—Paramore)

(Broken ft. Amy Lee and Seether—Disclaimer II explicit)

(Monster—Paramore)

(The Kill—30 seconds to Mars)

(Stereo Hearts—Gym Class Heroes)

(Never Let This Go—Paramore)

(Born For This—Paramore)

(Heartless—Kanye West)

(Lighters—Bad Meets Evil/Bruno Mars/Eminem)

(Chasing Pavements—Adele)

(All I Wanted—Paramore)


	4. Girls' Day Out Guaranteed Trouble Prt 2

**Hey everybody! I'm back! I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed on my last chapter: Lovesong101, mysteriouslullaby, and BrokenYetDreaming. Now, onto the Facts:**

**Fact: Did you know that Serenity was supposed to be a new girl moving into La Push? Of course you didn't! **

**Well, there you go—one thing you didn't know about **_**Running Away.**_

**Now, read on!**

**REVIEW?**

Do you ever have that feeling where you suddenly remember something—everything, actually—about a person that you miss so much that your heart feels torn in two? Oh, you haven't? Well, I can tell you, it ain't fun.

That was the way I always felt when I visited my mother's gravesite. I remembered everything she'd ever said to me, ever done for or to me in the seven years that I got to share with her. Sometimes it hurt so bad I could barely breathe. But that was part of the process of healing, right?

I sure hope so. Otherwise, I'm not normal. Not that I am now, I'm just saying… well anyway….

"Hey, George," I said to the flower vendor. I met him a few years ago when I had visited my mom's grave without flowers. He'd caught me sobbing, and when I told him why, he'd given me three carnations from his flower cart. He was a kindly man, short and heavy, with two kids of his own. He had this job to make a living with his wife, who worked at a restaurant in Port Angeles. It had become a sort of traditional exchange between us; I'd buy another carnation for however many years had passed since my mother's death, and he'd save them for me.

"How many is it this year, _joven?"_ George asked with a wry smile. Oh, he knew me so well. Of course, everyone who knows me catches on pretty fast… most of the time, anyway. Oh, for those of you who don't know Spanish, he called me _young one, _or _youth. _It was habit for him, what with his two kids.

"It's eleven this year, _compadre," _I sighed dramatically. "_El tiempo pasa tan rápido, ¿no?_"*

"_Si,"_ he said gravely, though he was smiling. I think it's funny how people can do that. Brianne's dad can laugh expressionlessly. What? You don't think it's that hard? I'd like to see you try to do it! Bet you can't! Even I can't, and I, I must say, am a master at the poker face.

Okay, while that was random, I'll get back on topic.

"Here you go, _joven._" I smiled at him as he handed me eleven red carnations. George waved me away affectionately, and I obediently set off to complete my mission, because that was the kind of girl I was; when I set my mind on something, I got it done. Err, mostly, anyway. Mental sheepish grin.

I walked steadily toward the one spot I knew almost as well as I knew the layout of my bedroom. Years ago when I'd barely begun coming here on my mother's birthday, I used to get lost. All the death around me, all the sorrow, and the heartache got to me. I would fall to my knees on the ground, clutching my head and suppressing screams, tears streaming down my face like a river. George found me like that once. He'd called his wife, and she'd brought me to their house a few blocks away. I'd met her kids that day. Two boys, one two years younger than me named Vincent, and the other two years older than me named Alexis, but I called him Alec. She'd calmed me down, and fed me, and made her boys cheer me up. I'd played on their lawn with them, having no objections to playing soldiers, or getting dirty in the mud, or wearing some of Alec's clothes when my dress became too soiled.

That had been the first time I'd ever gone to my mother's gravesite, ever started the tradition. I'd only laid down one carnation, only having had enough change on me to buy one from George. I probably hadn't had enough to buy it, but he'd taken pity on me and given me the carnation anyway.

Adults just always seemed to like me for some reason. And considering that my first date was with Alec—set up by no one other than his mother—boys did, too. Being who I am, that's not the best thing for me, having boys attracted to me.

It didn't work out, by the way, in case you were wondering. We dated for about two months before the two-timer decided to let me go for another girl he'd been dating while dating me. My very first boyfriend and the reason for our break-up was cheating. Any other girl might take that as a sign that their relationships were never going to work out, but I took it as a sign that he just wasn't the right guy.

And I had been right, because my soul mate was the one person I saw every day.

Now, do I ask myself, "Why didn't I see it before?"? No, I don't; I tell myself how lucky I am to have found him, to have known him since the day I left the hospital and he came with his father, mother, and sisters to see me. What a great idea of everyone to suddenly surprise my mother three days after she gave birth to a mellow child to see said child!

I officially met my soul mate that day.

Anyway, as I neared my mother's grave, goose bumps rose on my skin, and I shivered as if I was cold. This always happened when I was near the dead, because I seemed to be hypersensitive to death and stuff like that. I have no idea if that was something I was born with—because my father never comes anywhere near a cemetery except for when we had my mom's funeral—or if it was some power I got. Probably the first.

I finally reached the site. An eerie silence had fallen over the cemetery, and I welcomed it. I didn't feel like listening to anything at the moment; not when I was so close to my mother's dead body, six feet underground in a casket. I gulped, banishing the thought away immediately. After all, it doesn't help to live in the past, right?

If you say so.

I clutched the carnations tighter in my hand, feeling them slipping in my loose grasp. I blew out a breath, and sat down a few feet from the headstone. My stomach tightened as I read the engraving in it:

_Serena Violet Valdez White_

_(June 10, 1972—December 21, 2001)_

_Dearly missed Wife and Mother_

I could still remember the words, which had been burned into the insides of my eyelids since the first time I read them. That's how haunted I'd been. It had all felt like a dream—no, a nightmare. A nightmare in which I was trapped, like a bug under a cup. But instead of forgetting everything when I woke up, I remembered it all. Every painful memory, every painful breath that threatened to tear me apart, every night that I cried myself to sleep and still found myself crying when I woke up. It was horrible.

But eventually I learned to deal, to not give in to the temptation to cry or scream or do both.

Even now, eleven years later, I could still remember the gut-wrenching feeling, the cold of my blood turning to ice in my veins, when I'd opened the door to find a police officer on the other side. The smile I'd been wearing had slipped off my face, and I'd called out to my dad. He'd been smiling too, expecting to see his wife around the corner of the dining room. But he hadn't. His face had drained of color, turned to stone. Austin had come around with him, took one glance at the police officer, and then come and scooped me up in his arms. He'd held on tight to me, as I was doing with him, and we'd braced ourselves for the bad news. We'd been right to do so.

I shook my head to clear it from those memories.

_Get a hold of yourself, _I told myself fiercely. _You're not seven years old, anymore. You're eighteen now, and you're coming to visit your mother. _

_You shouldn't torture yourself like this._

My head jerked up. I looked around, expecting to see someone behind or around me. But there was no one there.

And that wasn't my thought.

The voice was my mother's.

I cleared my throat. "Hey, Momma," I said, looking at the gravestone. But it didn't feel right. So I looked up at the sky, which was clear and blue; a perfect summers day. "It's been eleven years, now. I can't believe it's been so long since I… lost you. You have no idea how much I miss you sometimes. It gets as intense as a physical ache in my chest. But hey, at least I'm not crying buckets anymore, right?" I laughed without humor.

"So much has happened since my last visit here. Oh, happy birthday, by the way. I have to tell you something important," I hushed my voice, making it seem as though I was sharing an important secret. "I'm getting married with Jacob! And he imprinted on me! There's a whole big, grand story about that, so get ready to hear it. It all started on my seventeenth birthday…."

And so it began. I told my mother everything. I told her about how Dad and Austin had forgotten my birthday, about how Jacob had also, and about the dagger Quil got me. I told her about how Jacob had stood me up that evening on the bench when he was supposedly with Bella. I told her about how I'd held in the change from girl to fish for two hours and paid the price for it afterwards. I told her about how I had paid for it, losing my strength, my looks, my energy, how I'd had a chain smoker's voice.

I recounted the events of how the days at school had gone, how I'd drawn that picture of her for sixth period art, how I had accidentally drawn Jacob unconsciously, and how I'd gone to dinner at Sam Uley's house. I told her about the experiments I'd done to get my strength, and voice back. I told her about the car accident I was in, the reason for it, seeing the man in the middle of the road and swerving to avoid hitting him. I told her about the newborn war, about how I fought in it, about how I'd found Jacob and Bella 'busy' in the cave far from the battlefield.

I recounted everything, every event that occurred after that, how I ran away and met Naomi Gonzales, and how I'd come back to my family after about two months. I quietly told her about Bella getting pregnant and giving birth to Renesmee after Jacob became Alpha of his own pack. I told her about how I'd cared for Renesmee as if she were my baby sister, the baby sister I never had. I told her about how Jacob and the rest of the La Push wolves—the old and the new—had joined the Cullens and their vampire friends against the Volturi, when they had come to destroy Renesmee because they thought she was an Immortal child.

I finally told my mother about how we'd scared the Volturi off, winning the almost physical war. I told her about how we'd had some calm for a few months, and when my eighteenth birthday came 'round, Grandfather and Uncle Ian had come to visit, as they had when I was trying on wedding dresses.

I finally concluded my story as I told her Jacob proposed to me.

"I couldn't believe it! It was just amazing, I felt so… great, like nothing I've ever felt before," I said, grinning and closing my eyes. I had my arms outstretched like wings, and my face was looking up, sunward. "I can't explain it. I love him, Momma. I really do. And I always have, even before he imprinted on me. I've talked to Billy about that, too, by the way. I asked him about it. He said it was like meeting your soul mate. For the imprinter, it was like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time; suddenly, it isn't gravity holding you down on the Earth anymore—it's her or him. Tethered there by a million tiny strings; and not just strings, steel cables. The imprintee was the imprinter's whole world.

"That's how I feel about Jacob. Like I hadn't started breathing until I had met him. Which, I know was the second day of my life, but you know what I mean. I hadn't felt the intensity until I realized I had fallen for him. I asked Billy if the imprinting was what made the wolves feel that way; he said no, that imprinting was more like a push in the right direction. I'm glad for it. But sometimes I wonder if he would've noticed me at all without the imprinting. Maybe, I guess.

"I wish you were here to help me with this stuff. I know there's no use in wishing for the past, but I can't help it. I remember the foods you used to make; the pancakes made from scratch, the spaghetti with the special taste to it that you called love. I remember how we used to laugh for no reason at all because you said laughter was one of the most precious things of all, especially when it came from Austin and me. Those were good times.

"I just think, sometimes, that it isn't fair. Austin and I only had some of our lives with you. I barely had seven years. Austin had fourteen. At least he can sort of remember everything. I remember most of everything, except of course when I was in infancy. But still; it doesn't seem fair. I mean, I never even got to talk to you about special girl developments, and things like that. But now that I look back on it, every day that I had with you is a hundred times more special, more precious, because I can't have anymore. Because you're up there, now.

"I hope you're proud of me, and proud of Austin. He's dating Leah Clearwater now, did I tell you? Yeah, he's real happy. I'm happy for both of them. I wonder if they'll get married, too, someday. Funny, he's older, but I'm getting married first." I was talking all conversationally now, momentarily forgetting about the black cloud that had been hanging over my head a few seconds before.

"Dad misses you a lot too, but I think he's getting by. There's no other woman for him, but you, Momma. He just doesn't see them. They're like nothing to him. And I'm glad for that. I don't think I'd ever be able to see him remarry to some super young girl he met at some bar, like widowed men in the movies. That kinda seems pedophile if you know what I mean… ha, just kidding. But yeah, he misses you. We all do."

But all too soon, I knew I had to leave. The imprints and the girls had gone to the house to "prepare" it for me. I don't know what they meant, but I hadn't pressed it; all that had been on my mind was this moment. I mean, I don't even know how long I've been here, talking to my Mom. That's how important my "mother-daughter" time is to me.

"Ugh," I groaned. "I gotta go. Well, I'll see you next year, Momma. But who knows? I might even see you sooner that we think." I stopped talking for a moment, dazed at what I had just said. I hadn't meant to say that. What could that mean? Was something going to happen that would cause me to come back here? Something good, or something bad?

Well, I guess we'll find out.

"Oh, and these are for you," I said, placing all the carnations before Mom's gravestone. All of them, except for one. The last one, I took and placed a gentle kiss on the flower before placing it with the others.

My goodbye kiss.

I stood up, fixing my dress, and smiled at the headstone serenely, then fixed my gaze on the sky. I smiled even bigger and blew a kiss skywards, waving with that hand.

_I love you, Mommy!_

As I left, it seemed as though those words drifted softly through the air, ringing with innocence.

I passed by George's stand, walking slowly, peacefully. He stopped me, though before I could call the girls to pick me up.

"_Joven! _I forgot to give this to you," he called to me. I came closer, curious of what he was talking about.

He turned away, getting something from the bottom of his cart. He came up a few seconds, holding what looked like a bright yellow sunflower. He beckoned me closer, and I complied, my curiosity getting the better of me. George took my chin and guided it down, and then he swept part of my hair away from my face, sticking the flower in my hair. Magically, it stayed, not falling out like you would think.

Tsk. Adults; they can do anything, can't they?

Show offs.

"Now, can I take a picture? Alec asked about you the other day, talking about how it's been years since he's seen you. He's coming back to town in a couple weeks," George told me.

Alec had gone to college, two years ago, and must've been coming back for a break. Why he was asking about me, I wasn't sure, but it couldn't be good when your two-timing ex-boyfriend starts asking about you several years after you've broken up when you were sure he'd forgotten about you years ago.

Can't be good at all.

But because this was George—and I was getting married to the love of my life in less that seventy-two hours—I let him take the picture on his cellphone and bid him goodbye, texting Emily to come pick me up from the cemetery.

She showed up less than a half hour later, arriving with a nervous expression on her face.

Under normal circumstances, I would've asked her what she was so nervous about.

But really, what was "normal" anymore?

We drove in silence, me contemplating what I had said to my mother about seeing her sooner that we thought, Emily thinking about whatever she was nervous. And I knew it had something to do with me because she kept glancing at me every five minutes.

She'd make a horrible spy. Just saying.

Anyway, we arrived at the house in record time, having been driving a little faster that the speed limit recommended. As soon as we pulled up in my driveway, I knew they were up to something.

What makes me think that, you ask? Hmm, well, could it be the fact that Emily was torn between chewing her fingernails off, giggling, and looking back and forth between me and the house? Could it be the fact that Emily couldn't stop muttering incomprehensible things—hadn't even stopped muttering for the entire ride to my house?

Or maybe it was the fact that the girls and other two imprints were lined up on my front porch?

Hmmm….

I climbed out of the car, frowning in puzzlement.

"What's going on?" I said in a warning tone.

"Nothing bad," Emily giggled, spitting out a fingernail. Usually I don't have a problem with stuff like that, but the way she was doing it—um, _ewww._

"Okay, then I suppose you wouldn't mind if I went inside?" I raised an eyebrow at both her and the girls on my porch. Leah, being the one closest to the door, waved her hands towards the door in a gesture that said, _after you._

I nodded firmly and climbed up the porch steps, reaching into my purse to grab my keys to unlock the door. Before inserting the key into the lock, though, I tried the door—and was surprised to find it unlocked. I frowned, suspicion thick in my head. I took a step into the house—

And was blindfolded immediately by Leah from behind.

My instincts screamed for me to flip her off me, to send her crashing through the glass back door of our house. But I fought it off, reminding myself that this was Leah, my pack sister; she wouldn't hurt me.

At least, I hoped so.

"Okay, Serenity, there are several people in every room in this house, and hiding in the back yard outside," explained Leah. "The people in the living room are your only freebee. The others are in every single room in the house. The rooms aren't locked, you just have to go through and find everyone. Think of this as hide 'n seek. On your mark, get set, go!"

She took off the blindfold, and I was momentarily blind for a split second before my eyes located the two people standing in front of my couch in the living room: a familiar redhead that I'd met last year when I'd passed out behind her cabin, bloodied and scraped.

Naomi Gonzales. Apparently with her husband, a tall man with black longish hair and light blue eyes.

"Naomi!" I leaped into her open arms, hugging her tightly. "I can't believe you're here! Oh, my gosh!"

She hugged my back tightly. "You didn't think I wouldn't come to your wedding, did you? Of course I would come! You're getting _married_ for goodness sake! Oh! Right, I forgot, you haven't met my husband, yet. Serenity, this is my husband, Adam. Adam, this is Serenity, the girl I've been telling you about."

Adam extended his arm to shake. "Hey, congratulations on your marriage, Serenity."

I took his hand. "Thank you very much; it's nice to meet you. Oh, I have to check the other rooms. Be right back."

And with that, I turned and headed to the kitchen. Waiting for me in the kitchen was my aunt Shelby, Uncle Ian's wife, with her baby girl on her hip. I smiled and went over to hug them.

"Hi, Aunt Shelby, hey Abby!" I hugged them and tickled Abigail's neck, feeling warmer with delight when Abby, the cutest two-year old you could ever play with, giggled and slapped my hand away playfully.

"Serenity, you've grown! You were so young the last time I saw you. You look just like your mother, now," Aunt Shelby added, awkwardly. I knew she was trying to be nice, so I just smiled at her.

"Thanks, Aunt Shelby. Now, I'll be right back, I have to go check the other rooms."

And I sped off, up the stairs.

The first room when I reached the top of the staircase was mine, but I wanted to save that for last. I had a feeling about it, but I couldn't place it. So, I looked in Austin's room instead.

Waiting in my big brother's room, was my Grandfather, lounging on the bed and looking at a picture on Austin's nightstand. The sight made me freeze—then burst out laughing.

Now, normally, older brothers' rooms are all messy with old pizza boxes rotting on the desks, the computers are open to online video games, and there's so much clothes that you didn't know they had strewn all over the floor that you didn't even know their room had a floor, right? And there were posters of skinny models resting on the hood of cars or sitting on motorcycles in skimpy bikinis all over the walls too, right?

Well, when it came to Austin, this was very much _not_ the case.

My brother was an OCD person. He liked things very tidy, very neat. Don't get me wrong, there are some things in his closet that aren't neat or tidy, but he is a lot neater than anyone else I know, myself included.

And I'm talking about me, a girl who had every book in her library alphabetized, all her knives arranged from sizes to colors, all her instruments from sizes to colors to makers, and all her records and CDs from artists to dates to album names. And my closet was color coded, neat, and put up on the hangers. There wasn't a single thing out of place unless I was too lazy to put it back immediately.

I'm just that much of a freak sometimes…

"Grandfather!" I said, even though I already knew he was going to be part of the wedding. Uncle Ian must be in a room, too.

"Serenity, my dear, nice to see some enthusiasm from at least one of my grandchildren," Grandfather said as I hugged him.

"Uh-oh," I said, pulling back. "What did Austin do now?"

That's right; I blame my brother when he's not around. And I blame him even more when he is around. It's usually funnier when he's around to hear it.

"Let's just say he wasn't too happy about me hiding in his room, while he was at your father's friend's house—what was his name? Sam Uley." Grandfather snapped his fingers as he remembered Sam's name. That was a habit we all had in this household.

"Well that's just like him to be bothered by such a small thing like that," I scoffed. "Anyway, I have to finish looking in the rooms for the others, so I'll see you in a bit!"

And once again, I dashed out of there.

I entered my Dad's room next. Waiting inside was a person I hadn't seen since I was nine years old: My Grandma Lila—aka, my father's mother.

"Grandma!" I wasted no time in running into her arms—gently mind you. I hadn't seen her in nine years, the second year after my mother's funeral. After that, we'd just communicated through phone calls, and even then those weren't very often. Seeing her now was like a dream.

"Oh, Serenity! My darling, I'm so happy to see you!" she hugged me tightly against her, and I breathed in her scent, the scent that never changed: roses and mints. A homey smell. "You've grown so much! You look just like Serena did at your age! God bless her soul. I heard the good news; my granddaughter is getting married! I am so happy for you, my darling! You must be so happy—oh! Look, I can see it in your eyes; you are positively _glowing!_ And you've gotten so beautiful…"

She trailed off, tears welling up in her eyes. My eyes stung with tears, too, but I didn't let them fall, preferring not to look weak, even though Grandma Lila wouldn't see them as a weakness.

"Yeah, I've changed quite a bit in the last nine years. Oh, I have to go find everyone else. I'll be right back. Why don't you go to the living room? I'm sure it's more comfortable down there than up here," I added almost as an afterthought.

"Oh, that's quite all right, I kinda don't want to because there are people down there, and you know how I get around people I don't know…" she trailed off with a shrug.

I knew what she meant. My Grandma was always a shy woman around unknowns.

"So go meet them! I'll introduce you as soon as I find all the others," I promised, leaving the room before she could object.

I went to the bathroom next. I wasn't surprised to find Uncle Ian in there, pretending to cover himself with the shower curtain when I barged in. He even gave an indignant yelp, his expression one of mock outrage.

I burst out laughing, and came over the punch him lightly in the arm.

Ah, my uncle is such a dork.

I went to the basement next, only to find that it was empty. Huh. I guess they don't know we have a basement. Oh well.

So I went to the back yard next. I looked in the shrubs, the trees, and eventually found Embry, of all people, _hiding under the back porch_. Now, what I want to know is, _how the hell did he fit under there? _

"Holy crap! How did you fit under there, Em?" I shouted as I got on my knees to help him out. Embry and I grunted as I tried to pull him out, and he tried to push himself lower to the ground so that he wouldn't break the porch. He finally slid out, knocking me to the floor, landing over me on his hands and knees.

He groaned as he sat back on his knees, and stretched his arms over his head. Like usual, he was shirtless, wearing only his famous cut-offs.

"You would not believe how easy it was to get under there," Embry said to me, disbelief coloring his tone. "Way easier than getting out, that's for sure!"

"I bet," I said, sitting up. Embry stood up and held out his hand to help me up. I took it, brushing grass and dirt off my dress.

"What room haven't you checked?" he asked me as we slowly walked back to the living room.

"Mine," I told him.

"Want me to come with you?"

"I guess, if you don't want to stay down here with the rest of them," I replied, knowing how shy Embry could get.

He nodded, relief evident in his expression.

We made our way to my room slowly, taking our time.

"You're so luck Jacob imprinted on you," Embry said suddenly.

Whoa—where did that come from?

"Why is that?" I asked cautiously.

"I just don't think I'm ever going to imprint. I mean, look at everyone else: Sam imprinted on Emily, Quil imprinted on Claire—two-year old Claire—Jared imprinted on Kim, Paul imprinted on Rachel, and Jacob imprinted on you. Hell, even Leah imprinted—on your brother, no less." Embry breathed the softest of sighs. "I just don't think I will."

I put my hand on his arm to comfort him. "Well, Em, you know imprinting is supposed to be rare. Seth hasn't imprinted, and neither has Collin. There's still hope. And you never know; your imprint could be right around the corner." We were at my door now, just standing outside of it. It was like the thing I said at my Mom's gravesite; I didn't have a clue why I'd said it.

I didn't have time to think about it though, because I felt my heartbeat increasing, getting louder in my ears the longer I stood out the door. I could tell it was because of the person on the other side of the door; there was no way it could just be me. Embry started to say something about my heart rate, but I'd already burst through the door—

And screamed at the person on the other side. The scream turned out to be a name—a name as similar and familiar to me as my own:

"_DAWN!"_

Dawn Lori Chance stood before me, her lips pulled into the biggest grin I'd ever seen in my entire life. The eighteen year old threw herself at me just as I threw myself at her, both of us catching each other in a tight embrace. She was screaming in my ear, screaming my name:

"_Serenity!"_

Tears were streaming down my face, and by the wet warmness I felt on my neck, I was pretty sure she was too. The last time I'd seen this girl—excuse me, woman, as she so clearly was now—was eleven years ago, when we'd been ripped apart be her mother, claiming she'd wanted to leave because there was nothing they could do. Her mother, I mean.

She'd left out of spite; she'd always been jealous of my mother, of her own younger sister. Now that she was out of the picture, Valencia Chance was able to get away from La Push—claiming that she'd followed her little sister to "keep her safe and out of trouble." But we'd all know that was never the case—even I had known it, and I had been seven at the time!

Valencia had literally ripped us apart—Dawn and I had been clinging to each other, begging through tears to let Dawn stay, that my dad would let her live with us. But she'd wanted none of it; she'd ripped her daughter out of my grip and stuffed her into the car, where she'd driven to the airport and flown to Georgia to live in Atlanta. I hadn't heard from her since.

Seeing her now, here, and safe was like a dream come true! And to make it even better, her witch of a mom wasn't here. We were together, like we should have been for the past eleven years of our lives.

"Dawn, oh my God, I can't believe you're here," I sobbed, taking her face in my hands. I wiped the tears from her eyes with my thumbs and hugged her tightly to me again.

"I can't believe it either," she said through sobs. "It almost feels like a dream. If it is, I don't ever want to wake up."

Dawn was a tall thing, exactly my height, which was five foot nine, with long brown hair that had the slightest streak of red in it when she stood in direct sunlight. She had the customary tan skin, dark brown eyes, and the same full lips that I had. We looked very similar to each other, with our same figures, same height, and same skin. We also acted the same.

If you dressed us up in the same clothes and put on a little bit of make up on her so that her lips were redder, we'd look exactly alike. At the moment, the only things different was our hair length and our clothes.

"Well, it's not a dream, I'm sure of it," I said in a determined, firm voice. "You're here now, and this time I'm not ever letting go." I held her tighter for emphasis.

"Neither am I." Her voice sounded just as determined.

We stood up off the ground where we'd fallen, laughing as we realized that we hadn't even known we were on the floor. We were both wearing dresses, mine a knee-length floral print of dark greens, yellows, and reds; hers also a knee-length floral print with dark blues, greens, and oranges. The colors together sounded weird, but looked gorgeous on her. We both, I noticed, were wearing wedges, too.

"Uh…Serenity? Are you okay?" came a hesitant voice from the door way behind me. I turned, my face apologetic as I remembered about Embry; I'd pretty much forgotten him the second I saw Dawn.

"Sorry, Em! Okay, Dawn, this is my friend Embry Call. I think you two only met once before you moved," I added. "Embry, this is Dawn Lori Chance, my cousin from my mother's side, obviously."

Dawn sniffled, looking down slightly as she wiped tears away from her cheeks and extended her hand. "Hi," she said softly before she looked up.

Embry took her hand, the size of his hand immediately dwarfing it. Bizarrely, the image reminded me of a gentle giant taking the hand of a small child. "Hey, nice to—"

He cut off abruptly when she looked up into his eyes, dark brown meeting lighter brown. From an outsider's point of view, it looked kind of like a staring contest; neither one of them was blinking, both of them had their lips slightly parted as if in awe at each other's image, and both of them seemed to look at each other with the same emotion: longing. At least, that's what it looked like from the outside. I'm usually good at reading people, but things can change.

It was like they were in their own little world, like nothing else was on their minds but each other. Embry looked at Dawn like she was his whole world. Dawn was looking at him the same way.

Why would they look at each other like that? I mean, was this some kind of instant obsession thing? Was Embry really this desperate? Wait a minute… I've see that look before. It's the exact same way that Jared looks at Kim, or that Paul looks at Rachel, or Sam looks at Emily. The exact same way Jacob looks at me.

Which means…

Embry has imprinted…

_On my cousin._

"Meet you," Embry finished his sentence, snapping out of his trance.

Dawn snapped into awareness the second he spoke, smiling at him and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. Was it me, or did she just _giggle?_

That's one thing that's different about us; we're both flirts, but at least _I'm _subtle about it! She'll go all out on it if she feels like joking around—not that that's what she was doing now. She was actually being normal, not doing the hair-flips or the little waves, or even the rapid blinking. That she saved for getting guys to leave her alone. A smart move, I must say.

"Well, Em, Dawn; we should go down stairs. I have yet to greet everyone properly," I added, linking my arm with Dawn's and tugging Embry by the wrist. I marched them down the stairs, shooting Embry a look that said _we'll talk later._

He looked scared, though I have no idea why. I mean, I'm not threatening him, he should know that! At least, I hope he knows that. Well, he'll figure it out later.

We reached the bottom of the stairs, my face in a full-blown grin along with Dawn's. Our arms were still linked, so I dragged her to the couch where we sat down next to Grandma Lila and Naomi and Adam.

"Okay, I found everyone!" I exclaimed as I sat down. "Now, I can introduce everyone. Grandma Lila, this is Naomi and Adam Gonzales. Naomi, Adam, this is my Grandma Lila."

Grandma stood to shake their hands.

"Everyone, this is my cousin-who-should-be-my-sister, Dawn Lori Chance. Dawn, this is Adam and Naomi," I waited as they shook hands. "You remember Leah, don't you? Leah Clearwater, Emily Young, Kim (**I forgot her last name!)**,Brianne Mosely, Addison Philips, and Jennifer Greyson. Guys, this is my cousin Dawn." They all shook hands. What is with people these days? Why can't we all greet each other with a hug?

Oh, that's right—'cause we're strangers. Mental head shake.

Dawn, seeming to read my mind, hugged Leah when she came to shake hands. Leah looked stunned for a split second, and then tentatively hugged her back. Dawn pulled back, looking pleased. Emily had no qualms when it came to hugging people, especially now when she had just as many urges to hug people as to slap them at any random moment.

Kim was—like usual around new people—shy and reserved, just mumbling a soft greeting and shaking Dawn's hand. Dawn said nothing about this; she knew how it was.

"Oh, and Dawn while you already met Embry, I think the rest of the guys will be here soon, after they take Jacob out for their guys' day out thing, or whatever," I said, rolling my eyes. But then a thought hit me.

"Say," I said, "why aren't you with them, Embry?"

Embry shrugged. "I got bored with them. They were just sitting there and doing nothing. I mean, they were just talking about their… you know." He gave me a meaningful look.

I nodded. He felt out of place with them all talking about their imprints. Especially since he didn't have one—until now, that is.

"So, what are they doing later? They're not taking him to a strip club, are they? They had better not, or I swear I will—," Embry cut me off before I could seal the threat.

"No, no, no, they aren't doing anything like that," he reassured me. "They're just going to make him do stupid things before he gets 'tied down'. Stupid, I know." He used quotation motions in the air with his fingers. We all laughed, and he blushed shyly a bit.

"So," I turned to my cousin. "How've you been, darling? It's been—what? Nine, ten, eleven years since we've seen each other? I mean, God, woman; it's like we've both dropped off the face of the Earth and just reappeared into each other's lives again! So how's life?"

Dawn put an index finger to her chin, mimicking me when I'm in deep thought. She still remembered that I did that—and still do, as a matter of fact. She finally answered, "Well, life in Georgia hasn't been the worst, I must say. Though I still wish my mother hadn't moved me away from here. She got a boyfriend—several, actually. And each one she swears she's in love with. They're all jerks, crack heads, potheads, or some other kind of druggie.

"She got cruel when we were finally in the apartment in Atlanta. Valencia went to the _violencia_." Dawn chuckled darkly. "Violence; she turned violent," she said to the ones with blank expressions. They instantly took on comprehending, enlightened expressions, replacing the old ones.

"Yeah, so one day we got into a huge fight about something like me being the cause of every single one of her boy toys leaving her for some other chick. She said I was ungrateful for everything she'd ever done for me.

"'Like what?' I'd challenged her. 'What have you ever done that was wholly beneficial to me, besides giving me food, or taking care of me when I was a baby?' She told me to get out of the house. 'Get all your sh*t and get out of my effing house. Never come here again, do you hear me?' And I'd yelled, 'Gladly!' I'd packed up everything and paid for a plane ticket here. I was so happy that you had sent that invitation; I would've felt needy just coming here because I'd been kicked out of the house," Dawn finished, squeezing my arm, which was still linked in hers.

I smiled at her. I would've welcomed her even if she had only been coming because she got kicked out. I would've welcomed her with open arms no matter what the reason was. Because that's how bad I missed her. She was like my sister; the sister I may very well never have.

"Trust me, Dawn; I wouldn't have cared about how bad or selfish your reason for coming here was. I'm just glad you're back," I pulled her into a fierce hug, squashing tears away from my eyes. Man, you bring back my almost-sister into my life, and _bam!_ I'm crying out Niagara Falls! Geez…

We pulled away at the same time. I turned to the others, watching them watch us, and then saying, "What? You guys want a hug too?" Everyone laughed, but I was serious. I could see the looks in their eyes, watching us with a sort of…happy emotion. I can't find the exact word for it. Gratification? No, I don't think so. Then what?

I had no idea.

"So," Grandma Lila said, conversationally. "Why don't you two sing a song, like I hear you used to do when you were younger? I know you both can, and besides, now that you've found everyone what else can we do? The wedding's after tomorrow; we've got plenty of time!"

I cracked a rueful half-smile at my Grandma. But you have to give her some credit; she knew things that most people who haven't seen their grandchildren in nine years wouldn't.

I looked at Dawn then. I found that she had already been looking at me. She grinned when I locked eyes with her; we were always just that close, always knowing what the other thought, never afraid to defend or protect each other. We were closer than the closest of sisters.

I raised my eyebrows at her. "You wanna?" I asked.

She grinned even wider. "I wanna," she nodded excitedly.

Of course, we already knew which song we were going to sing. So, softly, I began.

**(Bold=Serenity. **_**Bold and Italicized=both of them together. **__Italicized=Dawn._**)**

"**Oh, why you look so sad?**

**Tears are in your eyes**

**Come on, and talk to me now.**

**Don't be ashamed to cry,**

**Let me see you through,**

'**Cause I've seen the dark side too.**

**When the night falls on you**

**You don't know what to do.**

**Nothing you confess,**

**Could make me love you less.**

**I'll stand by you.**

**I'll stand by you.**

**I won't let nobody hurt you,**

**I'll stand by you.**

I finished, letting Dawn's equally soft voice carry on in my place for the next stanza.

"_So, if you're mad, get mad!_

_Don't hold it all inside._

_Come on, and talk to me now._

_Hey, what you got to hide?_

_I get angry, too_

_Well, I'm a lot like you._

_When you're standing at the crossroads,_

_And don't know which path to choose,_

_Let me come along,_

'_Cause even if you're wrong,_

_I'll stand by you._

_I'll stand by you._

_I won't let nobody hurt you;_

_I'll stand by you._

_Take me into your darkest hour,_

_And I'll never desert you._

_I'll stand by you."_

Dawn held my gaze the entire time I sang, just as I had done when it was my turn. Now, we both took a breath, and sang together, our voices merging into one in harmony.

"_**And when, when the night falls on you, baby**_

_**You're feeling all alone.**_

_**You won't be on your own.**_

_**I'll stand by you.**_

_**I'll stand by you.**_

_**I won't let nobody hurt you;**_

_**I'll stand by you,**_

**Take me into your darkest hour,**

_**And I'll never desert you;**_

_I'll stand by you._

_**Oh, I'll stand by you.**_

_**I'll stand by you."**_

We finished the song, almost breathlessly. I guess we had gotten a bit carried away, just caught up in the emotion of both the song, and each other's presence. Gosh, I make it sound like we were long-lost lovers, don't I? Well, we're not, I promise you! My heart belongs to Jacob. And pretty soon, Dawn's will belong to Embry. Mental smirk.

I lifted my left hand and held it up. Dawn, catching the old, familiar signal, raised her left hand, too. We slapped our hands together and held them clasped, looking each other straight in the eye. Then we slipped our hands out and bumped our fists, laughing like we used to.

We used to do this little hand shake thing, where we held up the hand that we don't write with—as we used to call it back when we couldn't tell our right from our left—and clasp them together, letting each other know that we'd always be there for each other. That we'd stand for each other. I knew that she remembered the meaning from the reminiscent look in her eyes.

I was pretty sure I had that same look on my face.

"Does singing run through the family?" Naomi asked from beside me. I turned to look at her.

"We—I mean, some of my family—like music a lot. If you went up to my room, you'd see it immediately. But, I also like knives. Truth be told, I have an entire wall covered in knives in all shapes and sizes. But I also have a walk-in closet that is mostly used for my instruments, rather than my clothes," I told her, a wry smile on my lips.

"That's so like you," Dawn rolled her eyes. But she was smiling, so I knew she was kidding.

I was getting tired of sitting still, no doing anything, so I stood up. I wanted to get dinner going, seeing as it was already five o'clock. I didn't feel like sitting around and doing nothing, even if it was catching up with people I haven't seen in years. I know that seems a little harsh, but I know there's plenty of time to do that during dinner.

"Well, I'm gonna go make dinner." I jerked my thumb towards the kitchen. "Any requests?"

While everyone conversed, I started braid my hair. I thought I was going to get it cut while we were out, but I guess it must've slipped my mind. Oh, well, I could get it cut later. Or ask Dawn to cut it for me.

I was half-way done before they finally agreed on something.

"Um, I think everyone wants lasagna," Emily said. Her face was scrunched up slightly, as if unsure of her answer.

"Okay, then; I think I have everything I need." I silently went through a list of ingredients in my head. Then, once I was satisfied with my calculations, I strolled into the kitchen. Washing my hands and drying them on a towel, I rummaged through the fridge, selecting ingredients first from there, then from the pantry.

About half-way through the process of boiling the noodles and cutting up vegetables, I heard the soft patter of footsteps entering the kitchen behind me. A smile tugged at the edges of my mouth.

I knew Dawn would come in sooner or later. While I had the talent of cooking, she couldn't cook for her life. I knew that eventually she'd wander into the kitchen, and while she wouldn't actually touch the food, she'd help me by handing me the utensils or ingredients that I would need. She'd sit on the free space of the counter, her legs dangling and softly swinging over the edge, and hand them to me as I asked for them, talking to me all the while.

Just like we used for my mother when she was alive.

"I can still hear you, you know." I received no answer from behind me, though the pattering footsteps stopped. "Man, Dawn; eleven years, and you still haven't changed a bit. In habits, anyway."

This time, I was rewarded with soft laughter. I looked over my shoulder at her and grinned as she pulled herself up onto the available space of the counter.

Just like before.

"You haven't changed either, you know," Dawn said. She stuck her tongue out at me.

I tsked. "That's childish."

"And that's low."

"Touché."

We were silent for a few heartbeats before we burst into fits of laughter. We sobered up though, when we remembered the others in the living room could hear. Ah, what do I care? They could hear us all they want. No, I'm just kidding, that's mean.

"So," Dawn said, dragging a finger across the smooth marble counter as if looking for dust. She brought that finger to her face and inspected it meticulously. "What's the story behind you and lover boy? Last I'd heard—last being eleven years ago, seeing as Momzilla allowed zero contact—you and Jacob Black had only been best friends. Now, all of a sudden, flash forward eleven years, and _bam!_ You two are getting _married._ That's huge! I wanna know all the juicy details." She rubbed her hands together, reminding me of the criminals in a black-and-white movie with the black handle-bar moustache.

I suppressed a giggle, and banished those images away.

"Well," I stalled. "It all started on my seventeenth birthday. Dad and Austin had forgotten it was my birthday, and I'd had to remind them. Which ultimately made them guilty—that was unavoidable…and a little enjoyable."

Dawn interrupted me with raised eyebrows. "A _little _enjoyable?"

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, maybe more than a little. But not a lot. So… _kinda_ enjoyable. There."

"Okay, go on."

"So when I left to go pick up Jacob for school, I thought he would remember; but he didn't. He'd forgotten, too. So I was disappointed until I went to Quil's house to pick up Embry and him—wait, you don't know Quil. He's just another guy friend. Yeah, I went to their house, and I got surprised by Billy, Quil, Embry, Leah, Leah's little brother Seth, and their mother. It was small and really nice. I liked that they had all remembered and bothered to throw me a little 'wakeup call' sort of thing.

"So that's how Jacob was reminded, and he promised to make it up to me by doing something with me over by the bench near the woods, you know; our old meeting place? But he'd gone out with Bella Swan that night, and forgot about me. I'd had to, you know, resist the change," I lowered my voice at that part. "I sat in the rain for two whole hours, plus another couple more afterwards being soaked to the bone, and I didn't change into a fish, or feel the need to, once. It was incredible.

"But that night was the full moon. And I had started paying for my resistance, throwing up, fevers, cramps that make the worst menstrual cramps feel like kisses. It was horrible. But the moon made it disappear. I went out and I saw—,"

I cut off abruptly. I didn't know if I should tell Dawn about the wolves, or if I should just keep it to myself. She would find out eventually, but would she find out form Embry when he told her about his imprinting? Or would she find out the hard way and blame me for not telling her such vital, need-to-know information?

Well, I would tell her about the wolves, but I wouldn't tell her who they were. That Embry could tell her.

"I saw these huge wolves in the forest when I went out for a moonlight run," I told her, using the term I'd started using after the first time. I'd have to explain everything to her later when everyone went to wherever they were staying. Right now she was kinda lost; I could tell. I could see it in her face. She was just nodding, making connections from what she knew before. And that only consisted of my Deceiving powers. That was my first. At first we'd thought it was just a really amazing talent—until I'd started imitating men's voices perfectly.

Then we knew it wasn't just talent.

"Oh, but you're asking for relationship details. I'll tell you the rest later. Yeah, the next morning, Jacob comes knocking on our door, demanding to see me. But like I said, I was throwing up and coughing, and everything. Austin came up to check on my after I exploded all over the hallway. Jacob came up and saw me.

"He told me that we couldn't be friends anymore, that he didn't want to _deal _with me. I went off on him about lying to me for seventeen years, not really being my friend; just _dealing _with me. But in the end I found out he didn't mean any of it. He just thought that's what he had to say for…some reason. The days at school were tense, I was excused from P.E. and everything that wasn't walking or sitting or standing. It was relieving, but also degrading.

"I started hearing things about some kind of war, involving Bella Swan and he boyfriend's family. Oh, excuse me—_husband_, I mean. Oh yeah; you heard me right," I said to Dawn's incredulous look. "She married the guy. And she's got a daughter, Renesmee. Trust me; she looks a lot older than she really is.

"But, yeah, there was this war, and I went in it, we won—but Jacob got hurt. I followed him to the house and tried to see him, but Dr. Cullen said he wanted to see Bella. I broke my finger that day. That was when I ran away. I was gone for two months, just running. I made it as far as Canada, which is how I met Naomi. I crashed in her backyard.

"I stayed with her for about a week before coming back here to Dad and Austin. We had a little celebration on the beach with everyone—but Jacob was at home, suffering just as bad as I had been. I was going to tell him everything about me with the you-know-whats the next morning, and I did. Well, the fish part, anyway. I showed him the rest later. But then, we went to this little hideout we found a few years ago, not too long after you left. We almost—almost—kissed, but then Sam called us down to the Cullens place because Bella was having a really weird problem. She had her kid, and these people were going to come and try to kill her because they thought she was something else that was strictly forbidden according to them.

"So they called me over as a witness or possible soldier, you could say. Jacob finally kissed me that day. So I trained with the Cullen boys, and when the day came for the potential showdown, I stood there, right next to Renesmee and Bella. We didn't have to fight, so I was so glad. But I get nightmares about it, sometimes. Jacob and I had been dating for quite a while. We had a big smooch right there in that clearing.

"When it was all over, we continued dating. I'd already dropped the 'L' bomb a long time ago, and he'd said it back, so I've been like, 'Score!' And on my eighteenth birthday, he proposed. It was so amazing, Dawn, you wouldn't believe it. You had to be there to really know," I told her. I closed my eyes, remembering the day. Such a wonderful birthday.

"Hand me a spoon, will ya?" I held my hand out as Dawn tossed the spoon to me. I worked on the last finishing touches on the lasagna and then stuck it into the oven.

"So," I said, coming over and mimicking Dawn's earlier finger motion, sitting beside her and sweeping my finger along the marble countertop. "What's up with you? This can't all be about me. I wanna know about you, too."

Dawn shrugged, picking at nonexistent lint on her dress. "Nothing really happened to me when I left. We moved into an apartment. Got enrolled into a new school. Caused fights in new school. Still got a 4.0 GPA, though." She grinned at me winningly.

I rolled my eyes at her. "You've been naughty, my darling." I poked her nose with an index finger to prove my point.

"Whatever. It was totally worth it, though. I kept arguing that I would stop fighting when she sent me back to live here with you guys. But I knew it wasn't gonna happen. It didn't happen till I turned eighteen, the day after your birthday. I got you something, by the way," she said suddenly, hopping off the counter and running into the living room.

I waited, smiling at the fact that she had barely remembered that when I had been waiting to give her the present I made her since I saw her in my bedroom. Dawn rushed back in the kitchen, hopping back up beside me on the counter and handing me a small box. It wasn't that big, a standard box that would hold a necklace, or a pair of earrings.

I opened it, gasping dramatically and placing a hand over my heart when I saw what was inside. Nestled in a little spongy thing was a pendant with a charm that looked like a jagged piece of a heart that was broken off. It had a small stone in it that was a light blue color; aquamarine, the stone for March. What caused my reaction, though, was that it was exactly like what I had gotten her.

"I got you something, too," I told her. "You wanna see it?" Dawn nodded, curiosity lighting up in her eyes. I handed her the box and reached behind my neck to unclasp the necklace that I was wearing. It, too, was in the shape of a jagged half-heart piece, seeming to fit with the other piece. It also had an aquamarine stone in it. I motioned for her to get off the counter, and she did.

I clasped the necklace around her neck, fixing her hair over the chain, and then climbing down for her to do the same with me. When she finished, she smiled hugely at me and hugged me.

"Thank you," we whispered at the same time, causing each other to laugh softly.

We pulled back just as the oven timer went off, beeping irritatingly. I rolled my eyes, pressing the stop button and saying, "I'll be right back. I'm just gonna go change out of this dress. Get the thing out of the oven for me, will you?" I left the kitchen as Dawn nodded at me.

I arrived in my room, immediately kicking off my wedges and pulling on a comfortable pair of skinny jeans instead. I pulled an off-the-shoulder, purple shirt over my black tank top. I had to pull my long braid out of my shirt, like usual with all my other clothes. It really gets on my nerves sometimes. But I deal; after all, I can't really complain, can I?

I thump back down the stairs, waving to the people in the living room watching TV, and walk back into the kitchen—

To see Dawn eating the leftover meat in sauce straight out of the bowl I'd left next to the stove, her back to me as she licked her fingers clean of the spaghetti sauce. I crossed my arms and ankles, leaning against the entryway of the kitchen, and made a loud, "Ahem."

Dawn spun around, pulling her finger out of her mouth with a loud popping noise. We stared at each other for a few seconds; me, looking at her through narrowed eyes, and she, looking at me with the guilty expression of a criminal caught in a spotlight trying to escape the prison.

Finally, I said, "Nice to have you back, Dawn. Nice to have you back."

**A/N: So, what do y'all think? What do you think of Dawn? What do you think of Dawn being Embry's imprint? What do you think of Grandma Lila, Naomi and Adam, and the rest of the newbies? And what do you think will happen in the next chapter? Okay, guys, I have a problem:**

**I'm torn between so many wedding themes, it ain't funny. Can you guys submit some ideas in your reviews for me? If you do, the one person whose idea I use will get to be starred somehow in Hanging in the Balance! Meaning, I'll put you in the story; maybe make you a friend of Serenity's, or a person at the wedding, or someone that comes in in the future chapters! I don't know, but hopefully that gets you guys thinking, motivated!**

**Please review! This was a mind-blowing 10,541 words for you guys, so I better get some good reviews for this. -_-**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, or the song "I'll Stand By You" by Carrie Underwood.**

**Ciao!**

**~Alee V.**


	5. Back in the Game and Finding Sneakers

**Hey everyone! I have another chapter for you! But I can't help but say, "Is anyone there?" What happened to my lovely reviewers? I feel so lonely; it's like a ghost town in this story! I haven't gotten a review in almost three weeks! I gotta say, it wasn't like that with Running Away. So, what happened? Was it just because I had written it in the summer? Or have I lost my touch? I only got one review for a nine-thousand-word chapter. That really made me sad. So, I would like to thank and dedicate this chapter to ****lovesong101,**** the only reviewer that took the time to review on the last chapter. Thanks, girl! **

**Don't get me wrong—I totally understand that you guys are busy with school and work and stuff at home. I'm not blaming you; just saying what I think.**

**Oh, and for those of you who will be reading this, I recommend listening to the piano song, "Eyes of a Child" by Ryan Stewart. It captures the flash back about Uncle Luke pretty well. All of the sad parts, anyway.**

**Please review!**

"So then I said, 'No freaking way, dude!' And oh, my God, you should've seen the look on his face! It was priceless!"

I smiled to myself, looking down at the dinner table. Oh, Dawn. She has dated so many boys, I forgot what number this one was. I lost count after guy number fifteen. I know I didn't have this many boyfriends—heck, I'd only had two or three! This girl, though—jeez.

The lasagna that I had made was almost gone, only a few pieces left. I was done with mine already, so I got up to put it in the kitchen and save it for later. I sighed, looking out the window as I washed my dishes. I missed Jacob. I hadn't seen him since last night; he hadn't been there when I had woken up. Trust me when I say it had nearly given me a heart attack not seeing or feeling him there beside me on my bed. I was just so dependent on him sleeping beside me every night that I immediately jumped to conclusions when I saw that he wasn't there.

Very bad conclusions. Try shopping with three of your closest companions when you had thought they had kidnapped and killed your soulmate. Go ahead—I dare you.

One word: _awkward._

In my defense, I'd been half asleep. I didn't know who they were in the first five seconds where I'd tried to knife them! Honestly, I wouldn't have done that if they hadn't scared me awake. But would you be in good spirits if someone had waken _you _up by taking the blankets off of you and dragging you out of bed by your ankles like some kind of demon?

I didn't think so.

"Hey, cousin," Dawn chirped, coming up behind me.

"Hey, heartbreaker," I chirped back, equally bright.

Dawn stuck out her tongue at me, though she said nothing. She just leaned her head on my shoulder. I leaned my head on hers, drying my hands on a dish rag.

"So how many boys was that? Twenty? Twenty-something?"

"Actually," said Dawn, "it was only nineteen. And for your information, none of them were right for me. I'll have you know that more than half of them dumped me! Not that I care," she added. "It's not like we were going to be serious or anything."

"So," she dropped her voice low as I turned to face her. "That guy-friend of yours—Embry. He's been looking at me…all through dinner. What's up with him?" Her eyes looked curious.

"Well, it could just be that he's enchanted by your natural good-looks. The ones you so obviously get from me." I placed a hand over my heart, indicating myself. "Why? Do you think he's good-looking?"

Dawn put a finger to her chin, the way she does when she doesn't want you to know what she's thinking.

Finally, she said, "Well, yeah, he is. But there's something about him, something… different. Something that makes me want to get to know him. Something that I can't explain. He makes me want to… try."

My lips curled up in a smile. "Then try."

We both tilted our heads then, listening to Embry's soft voice as he told some story to the people at the dining room table.

I thought he and Dawn would make a great couple. They're both kind of… symmetrical, meaning that they were both like two pieces of a puzzle coming together to form a bigger, beautiful picture. They would hit it off just fine if they got together. He would take care of her, and love her right, just as she would love him right.

And besides, if he didn't, then he would have me to answer to. And I'm not a very patient person when it comes to the well-being of those that I love.

We heard laughter floating from the dining room, and I listened to Embry's voice to hear what story he was telling that made everyone laugh.

"No, no, I'm serious! She just punched him in the nose! And I swear I heard a huge cracking noise. She _broke_ it. He didn't even see it coming. Man, the little redhead has a lot of fire in her, I tell you. No, I _warn _you—you don't want to feel it firsthand. It _will_ burn you."

Wait a minute… was he telling bout the…? Oh, no, he didn't!

"Hey! Why are you telling everybody that? That's personal stuff right there, Em!" I cried indignantly.

"Sorry, but it's a pretty funny story. Jake gets a broken nose from his little girlfriend. And he's like six foot five. You're like five foot eight, or seven!" Embry gestured at me for emphasis, but I wasn't laughing. Instead, I was scowling at him mockingly.

"In my defense, he left me stranded more than five miles away from my house _barefoot_! To walk on the streets! I think I had an excuse to be a little pissed off. He messed with fire, he felt the burn." I felt a silly grin on my face though. Stupid face muscles not doing what I want them to!

"Besides," I continued after the laughter died down. "We weren't even together then. It took him forever to ask me out! But once he did, I didn't let him go. And now, after tomorrow, it'll be our wedding day. I just wish you guys would let me see him, though." I pouted grumpily.

The air in the room was light, easy, and carefree. It felt right to be here with everyone—some of my friends, some of my long-time-unseen family, and some of the people I'd met along my latest crazy adventure. It was an adventure I'd had that had led me to this: getting married to Jacob in less than seventy-two hours, and surrounded by people I felt I was blessed to know.

My heart rate picked up with the same Jacob-induced thoughts. I'd almost always had them, but lately they have been getting worse. I guess it's because I'm getting married, but you never know. Insert shrug here.

"Now, where's the fun in that?" Embry grinned lazily at me. It was the kind of grin that said, _I've got you, and you know it._

It was also the kind of grin that made me want to slap it off his face.

"You know, Em," I said slowly. His grin faltered as I made my way over to him. I walked slowly, leisurely, conveying the point that I was up to something—something that would inevitably end with him getting hurt.

"It takes forty-two muscles in your face to frown," I was standing over him, where he was sitting slightly slouched in his chair. "But only two muscles to do this."

My arm shot out, faster than any human pair of eyes could follow, and knocked Embry upside the head. His answering howl of pain was satisfying. Ah, music to my ears. Just kidding!

Eh, sort of.

"Jerk," I muttered. But I was grinning nonetheless.

Out of all the wolves besides Jacob, I was closest to Embry. Sure, I could always make perverted jokes with Quil and Paul, and I could always talk books and music with Jared, and of course there's always Sam if I'm in the mood to talk politics, or Leah if I need some pack-sister time, but Embry's always my constant. He's the one that I could always rough-house with, and he wouldn't hold back because I'm a girl; he'd give it his all, making me feel proud if I won and making me want a rematch if I lost. He's the one I can always talk to whenever, wherever, and about whatever, whether our topic is about books, crappy days at school, a particular song in my head, or even a particularly sucky period.

He just didn't mind it; he actually enjoyed talking to me about anything and everything, no matter what.

And I did the same for him—because I'd sound like the next Bella Swan, talking to him and not listening to a word he says, just using him dry. I always make sure that he talks before I do, make sure that I listen to him, give my advice, and show him that I care. He's my closest pack-brother. And I'm his closest pack-sister. We both know it; we've both been through each other's heads enough times since he joined Jacob's pack to know that we're close. From what I've heard in his head, his thoughts in his wolf form, I'm his constant too, his unrelated sister. Well, it's the same from this end, bro.

"Awww, I'm sowwy, Embry," I said in a baby voice. "Did I hit you too hard? You're okay; I know I didn't hit you that hard." When I still got no response, I crouched down, worried. "Embry? You know I didn't mean to hurt you, right? I would never hurt you—it was just a joke. We horse-play around all the time…. Are you okay, brother? I'm sorry, Em." My voice was small and pleading by then. Embry had his head down, his hands limp in his lap as if with defeat. Or sulkiness.

"Brother?" I took his hand in mine, holding it up to my face. I pressed the back of his hand to my cheek, leaning my face against it. He finally looked up at me, his eyes sad in a way that little kids are when their mothers say they can't have candy before dinner. "What?" he said quietly.

"I'm so sorry. Can you forgive me?" I looked into his eyes pleadingly, giving him the puppy dog eyes to their maximum power. Unlike Jacob, who took the bait after a few seconds, Embry took the bait immediately.

"Of course, sister." He enveloped me into his warm arms, crushing me in a bone-crushing hug. It knocked the breath out of me, but I didn't care; I was just glad that he had forgiven me. He'd scared me for a second there.

"Can't. Breathe." I wheezed, giving a little cough. Embry let me go immediately, and I fell to the floor on my butt. An embarrassing little squeak escaped me, and everyone laughed while I turned pinkish in the face.

"You guys laugh as if you've never done that before," I said as I got up and dusted off the seat of my pants. The laughter trickled to an awkward stop as everyone looked around at each other; _she's right,_ the atmosphere said. It could've been captioned right above the dinner table, for crying out loud! It was that obvious.

"Ha-ha!" I teased. I was rewarded by a steady stream of "Whatever!"-s and "Oh, shut up!"-s.

We all migrated once again to the living room where we all got caught up with each other, and, in the newbies' cases, got to know each other better.

Apparently, Grandma Lila opened up a new book store in Arizona, called _Dusty Shelves._ She said that business was slow at first, but then as word spread out about it, people gradually started filling in. A few of her friends' kids or grandchildren had applied and volunteered for a job at the place to earn some extra cash over the summer. Business at the shop was almost always lively, except on some lazy weekdays when people had work to do, or places to go. Grandma said that she'd left the shop with a close friend of hers in charge so that she could some to my wedding. My heart had warmed a little at that.

Naomi and Adam were living just fine. Adam was thriving at his new job, which they didn't seem to want to tell, and Naomi was content being a stay-at-home wife. They were both content with their lives, just living easy and free.

Of course I had already talked to Dawn, but there wasn't much she could've told me in an hour. So she continued. Yes, she had dated more guys than she cared to keep track of or remember the names of, but she'd also been doing other things besides that. Dawn had gotten many jobs, none of them really sticking around, saving and making money to buy herself a plane ticket to come here. She'd finally succeeded after getting a high-paying job. She didn't say what that job was though. We all tried to convince her to tell us, and after a large amount of pleading, she gave in.

"Alright! Okay, I'll tell you. Jeez," she blew out a frustrated sigh. "I got the most money from… baby-sitting."

"That's what you were so bent on not telling us?" I raised an eyebrow. "Dawn, that's great! Did you enjoy it?"

"I did, actually. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was gonna be. The kids were real sweet and well-behaved around me, doing what they were told, being nice to each other. When their parents got home, they were shocked. Once, a mother almost fainted." Dawn chuckled to herself, remembering.

"I bet they asked for you back," I said, bumping her shoulder with mine. Dawn nodded.

"Yep," she chirped. "They even offered to pay me double. But I told them I couldn't stay because I was going to Washington. They were begging like you wouldn't believe. It made me wonder what kind of kids they had to take care of when I wasn't around.

"But now I'm here, and I'm here to hopefully never go back!" Dawn pumped her fist in the air triumphantly. "Yes!"

"Part of every girl's dream," Embry chipped in. "Is to leave their parents behind in the house, and find the perfect guy."

I snickered. That's a load of bull right there. "No way, Em; that's a bunch of lies! Every girl knows what the _real_ dream is," I retorted. "Every girl's real dream is to eat without getting fat! Am I right? Of course I'm right!"

I was rewarded with a lot of whoops from every girl in the room, along with high-fives and pats on the back.

"Of course," I said when I caught the look of discomfort on Embry's face, "the other part about the perfect guy is a close second."

He snorted and grinned.

Embry was actually a little busy too, believe it or not. He's been looking for a job, working with Jacob on cars. Embry was very sensitive in the beginning when he'd changed into a wolf. He saw it as losing his freedom, of being chained here in La Push for the rest of his life. He had wanted to go somewhere, do something big with his life, and that had all been taken away with the phasing. I tried to help him look at the bright side of things, but sometimes his glass is just too empty to fill with any amount of hope. In liquid form, of course.

Grandfather and Ian were the same, living in California. Uncle Ian, Aunt Shelby, and Abigail were all happy with their lives. Uncle Ian was a doctor, so he made good money, and Aunt Shelby was a stay at home mom, content to look after her serene two year old. Seriously, Abby is so calm and sweet that you practically don't even have to tell or ask her to do something. She'll do it herself; that's what I was like as a baby—independent when it came to what I needed or wanted. Yeah, she gets that from me.

Brianne, Addison, and Jennifer were all great, too. No problems at home, happiness at being out of school and graduating, and excited for the wedding, as they were going to be wearing their best clothes. They liked any excuse to wear their finest. My best friends were really funny like that. They claimed that everything they wore was their finest, but then they completely change that and wear something even better. If you know what I mean.

Of course, I already knew what Emily, Leah, and Kim's lives were like. They were fine. I mean, Emily was about to have her first child, Leah had imprinted, and Kim was Jared's imprint; they were all living the dream. And I was fine; I was getting married in two days for crying out loud! Everything was perfect.

"So Dawn," Embry said, turning his body to face her direction. She immediately turned away from Kim to hear what he had to say. I bit back a smile. "You used to live here?"

Dawn nodded, smiling at him. "Yeah, I used to live over by the school, about a block from it."

Embry smiled. "I live about a block from the school, too."

"Really?" Dawn's forehead creased with surprise. "What street?"

"The one near First Beach. Willow." Embry was starting to frown now, too.

"I used to live on Willow," Dawn said, indicating herself with both hands.

"The one with blue shutters and yellow paint?" Embry and Dawn were leaning closer to each other; both of them were on the edge of their seats.

"Yeah!" Dawn jumped up, sitting correctly on her seat again. "You live in my house!"

"Oh, I forgot to mention that," I suddenly said, a hand covering my mouth from view. In all honesty, I had really forgotten. I hadn't meant to withhold vital information from her, I swear!

Dawn's head snapped over to look at me. Her mouth was agape, staring at me incredulously. "You don't say? Was it not that important to tell me that he lives in my house? That's vital information here, Serenity!"

"Hey, it was important, but that's kind of the last thing on my mind at the moment! I mean—I just got you back, DC. I think I have an excuse to be a little forgetful," I said, holding my hands level with my shoulders in the universal sign of _it's not my fault; take it easy._

"Is that a bad thing, me living in your old house?" Embry asked, confused. Way to go, Dawn. Way to confuse the poor boy!

Dawn's face slacked from the irritation it had once had, and she turned to Embry with her hands making the gestures of "relax."

"No, no, it's just that I would have liked for _this one_ to tell me beforehand." She nodded her head at me. I glared at her indignantly. I put my hands on my hips mockingly, and punched her lightly in the arm.

"I have a name, you know," I said, just wanting to start a little banter.

"Oh, yes, I know, but I am just choosing not to acknowledge it."

We were all quiet to a few beats until Embry broke the silence, his voice smooth and alluring as he spoke to Dawn.

"Well, you can always visit our old house anytime you want. Anytime, feel free to drop by." He subtly winked at her with his right eye, the one that only Dawn and I could see on his right side.

Whoa, Embry! Smooth… I didn't know he had it in him! Well. Very interesting. And he knew just what to say to reel Dawn in.

Dawn reacted positively to this, smiling and biting her lip daintily, entwining her delicate fingers together. She disentangled her hands, putting an index finger to her chin suggestively. "You know what, Embry?" She said, grinning. "I may just take you up on that offer."

Embry's grin was blinding.

0000000000

"What a day!" Dawn huffed out in a sigh as she climbed under the covers of my bed. We were sharing mine tonight since Dawn didn't have a place to sleep in, and Grandma Lila was in the living room.

Dawn straightened out her crumpled button-up pajama shirt, folding the blanket neatly under her arms. She neatly stacked her hands on her stomach and looked at me expectantly.

Unlike her, I was wearing a normal tank-top and pajama shorts, not even bothering to have changed into a matching pair of pajamas. I never really have, preferring to just wear whatever felt comfortable at the moment.

"Tell me about it," I sighed, rolling my eyes. It had been pretty rough without Jacob. This morning was bad enough, but now I was wishing to have him beside me on the bed, his reassuring warmth lulling me to sleep just like every night. What I'd give to have him next to me right now!

I shifted in bed, and turned off the lamp light, shrouding Dawn and me in darkness. I heard her sigh and then turn on her side so that she was facing me. I turned to her, seeing her outline in the dim darkness. I couldn't see her clearly, but I could see her well enough.

"So," I started. "Did you mean what you said to Embry back there? Or were you just kidding around?"

Dawn shifted absently under the covers. "I… I think I meant it." She sounded surprised at herself, though I could understand why. Dawn was a girl who didn't give her whole heart out to really anybody, boys included. If she was feeling the imprint-pull to Embry like I had felt it to Jake in the beginning—and currently right now, as I tell you this—then she was definitely confused.

"Well good, because if this is just going to be another fling, pick someone else to crush. I know that sounds harsh, but it's true; I mean it. That boy has had so much taken away from him. He doesn't need you to take away whatever he has left. Please. If you're going to like him, then like him as much as you can. If you're going to love him, love him right. But don't break his heart. You won't just break his heart; you'll crush his soul. If he likes you back, anyway."

I caught myself, probably a little too late, though. I didn't mean to let so much out, but I couldn't help it. I needed to let her know, give it to her straight. I wasn't going to let either of them get their hearts broken because of Dawn's date-and-dump habits, or Embry's sensitivity. In order for them to really get somewhere—if they were going to get anywhere—Dawn had to grow a heart, and Embry had to grow a pear; as harsh as that sounds, it's true. But I just hate being so mean.

"And what makes you think I like him?" Dawn's tone was defensive and indignant. Oh, I don't know, maybe the way you sound so defensive?

"I'm not saying that you do. I'm just saying that _if_ you do, you have to change the way you handle things. You can't just dump him whenever you want to."

"Jeez, shouldn't you be giving him this speech?" Dawn complained.

"Oh, trust me; I'll give it to him later. But I want you to know first. This isn't Georgia, Dawn; the guys here aren't heartless jerks. They have hearts, and they know what it's like to have'em broken. They don't want it to happen again, no one does. Just don't hurt Embry, alright?"

"I won't, okay? Gosh," she grumbled. I slapped her arm affectionately, and then turned my head to the other side.

"Great. Goodnight."

I heard a yawn, and then, "Goodnight."

"_Jacob," I called into the darkness. "Jacob!" I called louder, but still, I could not hear my voice in the pure and unbroken darkness. I knew he was here; I could feel him. But every time I tried to call out his name, it seemed as if the darkness swallowed my voice whole._

_Then, a flash to my right. And suddenly, I know the real reason I can't hear myself. I'm in water. Deep black water that seemed to have no end or surface. I tried swimming up, but I wasn't sure where 'up' was anymore. I couldn't breathe, but I didn't want to. _

_A hand closed around my ankle and pulled down, dragging me toward its owner. I fought as hard as I could, but it seemed that the more I struggled, the more I was pulled. An arm wrapped itself around my waist, and I knew I would have to go down. I was pulled into an unfamiliar embrace, and it felt like a human's embrace._

_The embrace was cold and hard, like the person was made of stone, but I knew better. It was probably a cold one. However, I didn't feel alarmed; more peaceful, as if something that I had already known was going to happen was happening right now. And then we weren't at the bottom of whatever this was; we were floating towards the top._

_I pulled myself out of the stranger's embrace to break out of the water. It didn't resist, it just let me go. I broke through the surface, taking a deep breath; and then was repulsed by what I'd just been in. I'd been wrong; it wasn't water that I was swimming in. It was blood. _

"_Your blood," a voice said from behind me. I swirled around in the blood to find the stranger—who was a boy that looked at least a year older than me—gazing at me menacingly. _

"_Who are you?" I said, swimming backwards. He mirrored my actions, coming closer to me. He reached me before I could get away and pulled me into an unnecessarily intimate embrace. He breathed in my scent—which probably smelled like blood—and then moved his face south, toward my collar and chest. I tried to pull away, but his grip was like stone._

"_I'm the one you've never met that knows everything about you, yet you know nothing about. What a pity it is that I have to get rid of you," he sighed as if truly saddened by the idea._

"_What? Get rid of me? Why?" I stammered questions, trying to evade the inevitable for as long as I could._

"_And you had so much potential, too," He continued, ignoring my questions entirely. He drew one hand back, poised as if to strike. I saw his arm come down. Heard my own agonizing scream. Cried for my family, my friends and Jacob and me._

_For the love I never got to show him._

_For the chance we never got._

I woke with a sharp intake of breath. I scrambled into a sitting position, the blankets strewn everywhere—on the floor, or wrapped around me. My hands flew to my throat, and I got the strange sense of déjà vu. I'd had this dream before. My throat was unhurt and whole, just like the first time I'd had the dream. And just like the first time, sweat matted my hair to my forehead. My heartbeat was erratic, my breathing hard and loud in the dark room. I looked to the clock on my nightstand. The red numbers swam into place, telling me that it was 4:30 a.m.

I breathed out in relief, and then remembered that Dawn had slept with me here, too. I looked up to find her sitting cross-legged on the stool that I used to sit on when I played my keyboard, watching me steadily across the room. We stared each other down for a few beats before she broke the silence.

"What the hell was that?" Her voice was low and deceivingly reasonable, as if she were asking me what time it was. That just goes to show that she had seen the whole thing.

"What do you mean?" I asked. It was obvious that I was stalling, but that didn't stop me from trying.

"I had a dream last night," she told me, using the same tone. She unfolded her legs while she spoke, coming over to sit on the bed in front of me. Again, she sat cross legged.

"Well, more like a nightmare, really. I saw you. Swimming in blood. With a white boy—,"

"Racist," I interrupted her, grinning as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. I ran a hand through the hair that had come out of my braid, but I stopped when my hand went much farther than I had expected. Aw, man; my hair had come out of the braid during my sleep. Well, shoot.

Dawn glared at me. I pretended not to notice. "You know what I meant. From the way you were thrashing and practically giving me a black eye, I know you had the same dream. But from your face, it doesn't seem to me like this is the first time you had it." She eyed me.

Oh my goodness. This girl just won't cut me a break. She's too much like me. Observant, confronting, sarcastic, and head-strong. Makes me think to myself: am I this annoying when I get like this? I would hope not. It would definitely lower my reputation to down-grade myself.

I sighed. I looked into Dawn's eyes. They stared back at me, open and innocent, concern filling them. Just because she was asking me about the nightmare in such a serious moment didn't mean I didn't get warm and fuzzy inside at the sight of the concern.

"No. I've had this dream before," I told her, rubbing my forehead tiredly. "It was the same day that Jacob left me stranded at Bella Swan's house." I have no idea why I had that dream again. So far, those events haven't come true in the waking world, so that's a good sign.

They say that when you have a dream more than once, it'll come true. If that's the case, then why don't I have a giant gumball machine and live in a tree house?

'Cause it ain't true, that's why. Whoever made that a rule, or a belief, is a cruel, sick, twisted person filling young people with false hope!

Jerk.

But, back to the subject. This dream just didn't make sense. Who was that boy? How did he know me? And why did he want to get rid of me? Those words were awfully close to the ones Grandfather had told me in my dream of him when he'd explained to me what we—meaning, all second children of the Valdez family bloodline—were. He'd said that word had gotten out some time ago about us, how powerful we were. He'd told me that there were evil things that wanted to take our power. And that, when they realized that they couldn't, they got rid of us. Could the boy be one of them? One of the evil things?

That still didn't explain the boy, though. I had never seen him in my life. Yet, in my dream, he'd looked familiar. Way more familiar than I felt comfortable about. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'd seen someone who looked kind of like him, but that couldn't be. It's impossible! But everything is possible, even in the most impossible of times. I didn't remember seeing him, but—

Wait. Oh no. Oh God, no.

I'd seen him alright. Twice. How could I forget?

I'd gotten in a car accident because of him.

And I'd seen him in my window a few nights ago. And earlier today in the abandoned toyshop window.

It was _him._

"Dawn," I gasped, feeling short of breath. "I need to get out of here. Let's go for a walk. Let's go for an early morning swim."

I didn't even wait for her answer. I got up and out of bed, franticness causing tremors to shake my hands. I shoved my feet into flip-flops, marching into the bathroom for a look in the mirror.

Ugh. One look and I knew it would take a bit longer than I was hoping to get to that morning swim. My hair looked like a freaking birds' nest. Knots as big as my fists tumbled down my back, and I almost wanted to cry thinking about how horrible it would be when I had to run a brush through them.

In the mirror, my reflection picked up a brush, the hand trembling slightly. I breathed out a shaky sigh. _Just get it over with,_ I thought. Squeezing my eyes shut, I lifted the brush to the first knot…

~_Half an hour later~_

My hair is a pain. It causes me so much stress. I mean it! Just last week, I almost got a pimple. A _pimple!_ I haven't gotten a pimple since _the fifth grade. _

You can see why that's such a big deal for me. It would be a big deal for any girl who's suffered acne breakouts. When you finally are set free, you make damn sure they don't come back. I suffered at an early age, so when they were gone, I was ecstatic.

I almost had a breakdown right there in the grocery store when I caught sight of it in the aisle with the reflective structuring. As it was, several people were staring at me when I'd left.

I think I'm known by the whole rez now. Not that I care, really.

"Man, I haven't been here in so long. So much has changed, yet so little is different! There are Mrs. G's red roses; the ones she swears will bring you love. You remember that, Renity?" Dawn bumped her shoulder against mine reminiscently.

Of course I remembered. For me, they actually worked.

"Yep. And Mr. Hanson's garage is still broken. You'd think that after eleven years he'd have fixed that. Remember how we always used to steal those special chocolates from his red box? That was the main reason why he had threatened that he was going to fix the garage door. I guess when you left he figured he had nothing to worry about anymore.

"But you're back now," I said mischievously. "Eleven years have passed, and now we're back, baby! What do you say we go over there and pay old Hanson a visit, just like old times, eh?"

Dawn's eyes were bright. "Yeah!" She nodded enthusiastically. She clasped my hand—or I clasped hers—and we took off, sprinting down the old familiar path. Just like when we were kids.

"Look," I whispered. "There it is."

Dawn and I were hunkered down in front of the fence surrounding Mr. Hanson's yard. We were concealed from immediate view by a large bundle of shrubs on his lawn. His gate was wide open, his garage door open all the way up, just begging for us to get inside. A rectangular bright red box sat on a small bureau next to a plush rocking chair. A book lay beside the box, giving the impression that someone had sat there in that seat recently.

Faint light was finally beginning to emerge on the horizon. Dawn's watch told us that it was now five thirty in the morning. We had to move fast. Mr. Hanson was an early riser, both surprising and not for an old man in his sixties.

"Okay, is anyone looking?" Dawn whispered to me from behind me. We looked around us at the surrounding homes, all of which seemed blissfully unaware of our shenanigans this morning. What lucky souls.

"Negative. No activity on the premises or the surrounding area. Safe to proceed with the operation," I whispered in a hard, military voice. I looked back at Dawn, and we both burst out laughing. We quickly sobered up though, when we heard ourselves make so much noise in the thick silence. The only sounds were the occasional chirp of birds.

Dawn and I both got down on our knees. We crawled slowly on the cement driveway, making our way quietly to the garage, trying to stifle any laughter that came out. When we entered the garage, we finally stood up, looking around to make sure we hadn't been spotted. Assured that we hadn't been, Dawn and I opened the red box and marveled.

Inside the box were several delicious chocolates, all filled with different fillings that we could only guess at. When we were little we used to play a game with the ones we took. We would put them somewhere on a flat surface and align them in rows. Dawn and I would take turns grabbing one and eating it, deciding if we liked it or not.

It was a fun game, kind of like a roulette wheel; you never knew what you were going to get. At that age, we were easily entertained, but only by the best of things. Like this.

We were grabbing handfuls, as many as we could get in our hands, when the slam of a door had us jumping two feet in the air. We whirled around to see Mr. Hanson in the flesh staring at us incredulously, as if he couldn't believe we were actually standing there, stealing his chocolates right out of the box. Or that we were _teenagers _stealing chocolates out of his box.

We engaged a little staring contest then, us staring at him guiltily like a deer caught in headlights, him staring at us like he couldn't believe the audacity of what we were doing. If I were in his place, I'd be surprised at the _stupidity_ of what we were doing. I mean, come on—how many times do you see two teenage girls trespassing on another person's property for _chocolates?_

Exactly.

This would've gone on longer, but then something made a sound. Apparently, a cat decided to make a visit to Mr. Hanson's garage at that moment. It wandered over towards a giant stack of books, brushing up against it. Dawn and I held our breath while it teetered and tattered back and forth agonizingly slowly.

What do you think happened next?

Yep; you guessed it! Damn thing fell over.

The stupid cat let out a frightened yowl, jumping out of the way, but not fast enough. A few heavy books still fell on it. In a way, it was satisfying to hear that. Stupid cat deserved it!

Mr. Hanson immediately sprang into action.

"Hey!"

Dawn and I tore our eyes away from the cat's mess and snapped our heads toward Mr. Hanson. His face was pink, and he was dressed in a blue robe and fuzzy slippers. How he had woken up and just so happened to come out to his garage, I have no idea.

Mr. Hanson took a step in our direction. That was all it took.

We turned and bolted out of there, leaving him shouting behind us. We were laughing hard, running away to the end of the street. By now, his shouting had woken up the street. It was inevitable, of course. When there's a person shouting in the morning, you're bound to wake up to it. Our laughter stopped abruptly, then started up even harder than before when we heard him shout something else:

"_Serenity? Dawn_?"

The shout was incredulous and colored with disbelief. That made it all the more funnier to us.

We swallowed back our laughter long enough to say in unison, "Hey, Mr. Hanson!"

We hadn't made it that far with our running—okay, stumbling—especially when Dawn and I had been laughing. The neighborhood's residents were on their front lawns by now, looking at us in the faint light of daybreak. We started jogging back the way we came, laughing even harder.

Apparently people recognized us, even after eleven years. They were talking or exclaiming incredulously and joyously.

"Hey, it's Serenity and Dawn!"

"Look, they're back!"

"That's just like them, causing havoc at such an ungodly hour!"

"Look at'em go!"

"Hey, Serenity!"

"Hey, Dawn's back!"

"Yeah, looks like the girls are back together!"

"Run, you two!"

So we did. We ran. And we didn't stop running till we got to the beach. By then, we were still laughing, euphoria and adrenaline keeping us from getting tired. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I mean, did you hear what all those people said? Well, no, I suppose not, but you get my point.

They remembered us! We were back, baby!

We collapsed on the sand, far from the shore, in a laughing fit. Dawn and I were in hysterics with tears and everything. Tears were running down our faces, our faces were red, and our stomachs were cramping. I knew Dawn's was because she was holding her side and kept saying "Ow!" in between fits of laughter.

I hadn't laughed this hard in so long. I felt like I was taking a deep breath of air, sweet and gratifying. It was a freeing feeling to be laughing with an almost reckless abandon. And I was making the best of it.

When we finally settled down, I asked, "Should we do it here, or on the cliffs?"

She knew what I was referring to. None of that, "that's what she said!" crap.

"Yeah," she half-said half-giggled. We helped each other up, careful of the chocolates in our hands, and made our way in the direction of the cliffs.

When we finally got there, we sat down across from each other, cross-legged. Laying a sweater she'd brought with her down on the ground, Dawn spread out the chocolates she'd gotten on it. I did the same.

"How many did you get?" I asked while she spread out the chocolates she'd brought.

"I got nine," she answered. She glanced up at me briefly while she spoke.

"I got ten, so that makes nineteen to eat for us. Wanna split the last one?" We always kept it even and fair.

Dawn nodded. Her hair fell in her face, and she brushed it away impatiently. That reminded me.

"Hey, when we get back home, can you cut my hair?" I asked her.

"Sure." Her response was immediate. "How short? Pixie cut? Mid-back? Maybe just waist-length?"

"I think just waist-length. I'll wait until after the wedding and honeymoon for a pixie cut, or anything shorter than shoulder length." As you can see, my hair is something I pride myself in. I always kept it long, so cutting that short was going to be something very different for me. And I don't think I'm ready for that big of a change just yet.

How ironic when just about everything is changing.

"There," Dawn announced, drawing me out of my thoughts. "They're all set up. You wanna go first?"

I shook my head. "Nah, you go first." I picked one up and handed it to her. "Welcome back, Dawn."

She grinned and took the chocolate. They were all round balls—don't you people dare think wrong—with intricate patterns on their outer shells. They were each filled with different inner flavors, creating a mystery that Dawn and I loved so much that we created a game out it. There were no two same ones, and the knowledge that you would get a different one each time was sort of a thrill.

She popped it into her mouth, still smiling around the chocolate. She looked away, seeming to think about the flavor, deciding how good or bad it was. From the thoughtful look on her face, it seemed to me that it passed her test.

"Mm," she murmured. "This one tastes good. A great start for a welcome chocolate. Now your turn."

I smirked. I took a chocolate without taking my eyes from hers and popped it into my mouth. I chewed, breaking the delicate outer shell and releasing the inside surprise.

I grimaced.

Strong and bitter. That's how it tasted. I almost spit it out right then. I put a fist to my mouth, trying to keep myself from spitting it out onto the gravel. Dawn watched my reaction, her face in the tightened stage before laughing. I swallowed hard, the bitterness sliding down my throat. I shuddered.

Ugh. I hate dark chocolate.

Dawn laughed in front of me. "Not so good?" she asked, smirking.

I shook my head, grimacing. "Nope."

"Well, let's try some more."

And so we did. Until they were all gone, digesting in our stomachs. I leaned back on my hands. I sighed contentedly. That was fun, the most fun I've had since Dawn had left. To be honest, while I did have fun with Jacob and Quil and Embry, it was mostly short lived. I mean, not short lived exactly. Kind of weird because I hadn't played with any girls my age then.

Yeah, I was a tomboy when I was little. Still am, as far as I'm concerned.

"That was fun," Dawn said, snapping me out of my thoughts. I nodded in agreement. "It's been a while. But we're back now. Back in business! As soon as you come back from your honeymoon, we've gotta do this more often."

This was what I loved about my cousin; she always knew what I was thinking, or how I felt. She just always gets it. When we were little, people used to make jokes about us, saying that we must've been born twins. It was pretty believable. I mean, we looked alike, we talked alike, we knew what the other was thinking, and we always had each other's backs.

Don't get me wrong, I love my brother Austin the same way. I'll always have his back, and vice versa. But, like with Jacob, Quil, and Embry, Dawn was a girl my age. Genders just tend to stick together, sometimes. But I'm not like that always. I'll vouch for the male species when I feel like it, or when it's needed. Dawn is the same way. We're just compatible with the male species. But Dawn's the girlier of us two.

"Totally," I agreed. I stood up and stretched. I looked over at the horizon, watching the waves roll lazily on the shore. Dawn stood and stretched beside me, doing the same. The sky was lightening up, turning from a deep, dark blue, to a lighter purple-ish light blue color.

"Look, it's your namesake," I nudged Dawn with my elbow gently. She rolled her eyes, but grinned at me nonetheless.

We sat back down at the very edge of the cliff, not taking our eyes off the horizon, and just watched as the sky grew lighter and lighter and the sun rose up above the horizon.

The view was breathtaking. There were few clouds in the sky, adding a certain clarity that made it all the more beautiful.

When Dawn still lived here, she hardly slept at her own house. She always walked over to my house, or I walked over to hers and we slept together—not that way, you dirty perverts. We just were that close. We always woke up early and climbed onto the roof—of either house, as we both had two-story houses—and watched the sunsets and the sunrises.

Even when she moved away, I still did the same thing. I climbed onto the roof and sat there for hours, waiting for the sunrise, or waiting for the sunset. Lately I haven't been able to watch either one, but doing it now was like a breath of fresh air. Especially since I was watching the sunrise with Dawn, just like old times.

"You know what, Dawn?"

"Hmm?"

"We always watched the same sunsets and sunrises. No matter how far away we were, they were the same. And I know you were on the other side, watching just like I was. When the sun set, you were watching it rise. And when the sun rose here, I know you were watching it set. They're the same. That never changed."

It didn't come out quite like I had wanted it to, but she seemed to get it. Just like she always did.

She gave me a one-armed hug that said it all.

"You ready for that swim?" I raised my eyebrows at her mischievously. Dawn grinned wickedly, and nodded.

I turned away to get up, but something caught my eye. A pair of old black sneakers sat on the ground next to me. They were covered with dirt and dust, and showed signs of wear and tear, though it didn't have any tears. They both had an individual red sock in them. My eyes widened.

_My sneakers!_ They were still here! How the hell does that happen? No, never mind that; they were still here!

"Oh my gosh!" I exclaimed. "My sneakers! Holy crap, I thought I'd lost you guys forever!" I hugged them to my chest, an excited little squeal escaping my mouth.

"Those were yours?" Dawn said, eyeing me oddly. Apparently she's never seen anyone hug old sneakers. Or she's never heard me squeal like that. Either way, I couldn't blame her for being a little weirded out. Her cousin was a weirdo. I got it. I'd be weirded out too if I saw her hugging her favorite pair of pumps. But I'd be a little more subtle.

Or not.

"I was going to say something, but then I got lost in those chocolates." She licked her lips reminiscently as if she could still taste them. She probably could.

"Oh wow. You would."

She stuck her tongue at me. I rolled my eyes. I was definitely bringing these with me. They could use a little wash anyway. They were caked with mud from rain and sun and dirt.

Simultaneously, we stepped up to the edge of the cliffs, one of my hands clutching both sneakers, the other clutching Dawn's. This was Dawn's first time cliff-diving, since we weren't old enough to cliff-dive when she was here. I could feel her excitement and anxiety coming off of her in waves.

I squeezed her hand once and smiled at her. She smiled back and took a deep breath.

She peered over the edge, leaning forward slightly, the jerked back, looking a little paler than before.

"It's not that bad," I reassured her. If anything it seemed to make her worse.

"That's easy for you to say," she countered. Her voice wavered slightly. "You've done this before!"

"At first I was scared, too. But when I jumped, it felt like the most exhilarating thing ever. I felt like I was flying. Come on, Dawn!" I complained when it was obvious reassurances weren't working. That girl. Just as stubborn as me. "You're a Second Child! This should be a piece of cake!"

Oh, did I forget to mention that? Well, I'll explain her to you guys later. But just so you guys know, she's a fish like me. I mean, mermaid.

"You had that dream, too?" Her eyes widened, but I saw what she was doing. Stalling.

"Stop changing the subject! You're going down there, now!" I started pushing her, pulling her with me.

"What? No! No, no, no, Serenity, don't you dare—!" But she was too late.

We were already falling over the edge. Anything else she was about to say was erased as it transformed into a scream.

I was screaming, too, but not out of fright; in exhilaration. I threw my head back, enjoying the feeling of the air whipping through my hair, giving me the sensation that I was flying even though I was falling. It didn't even feel like falling.

See what I did there? Anyone know the Beyoncé song? No? Okay, then forget that.

Dawn, I could tell, was starting to enjoy it about half way down. She wasn't screaming in terror anymore, and my hand was no longer in danger of breaking. She was shouting in exhilaration, like I was. She was grinning, enjoying the fall, her arms outstretched like mine, like the wings of a bird. She got panicked again, though, when we were about to crash into the water.

"Dawn!" She looked over at me. I released her hand and moved my arms into the diving position, arms in front of me. She mimicked it and closed her eyes, waiting for the water to hit.

I snickered. Then we plunged straight into the freezing water.

For about five seconds, nothing happened. But then I felt my legs grow heavier and suddenly merge into one—my tail. My tank top had been replaced with the usual halter-top-style bikini top, and like usual I didn't have a clue where my bottoms went.

I broke out of the surface, taking a deep breath. The water was relatively calm, the low tide providing a lulling rhythm. Dawn broke the surface beside me, gasping rather loudly. I didn't understand why until I saw the soft blue-ish ring around her mouth. She was freezing.

I wasn't bothered by the water temperature, but that didn't mean she wasn't. It just meant that one of the perks of being a werewolf comes in handy for being a mermaid in cold water.

"G-g-god, it's c-c-cold!" She chattered. Dawn hugged her arms around herself, trying to keep warm.

I fisted my hand underwater and concentrated, trying to warm up the water around her. I heated it up to the point that it was bubbling around her. It looked like I was boiling her, but I wasn't. God knows I don't want Dawn-soup.

"Ahhh," Dawn sighed contentedly. "That's much better. I wanna explore around, but that would mean leaving this warmth. Should I still go?"

I inspected her carefully. She no longer had the blue ring around her mouth, and she wasn't hugging herself anymore, but that didn't mean she was completely fine. Nonetheless, she seemed good enough.

"Yeah, you're fine. Just tell me when you get too cold, though." Dawn nodded gravely.

I dove underwater, and she followed suit. We swam around, exploring around in the murky water. Several times I thought back to how I had done this last year and had had to drag an unconscious Bella Swan out of the freezing water during a storm. It was the day she went to Italy to save her husband, Edward Cullen. It was the day Jacob left me stranded five miles from my house. It was the day I had broken his nose with a single punch.

It was also the day I lost my sneakers on that cliff.

I twirled and looped around under water, washing away my stress and enjoying the feeling of bubbles dance on my skin, and the total weightlessness of being underwater. I felt my hair tickle my face, my back, and my stomach. The sun reflected on my silver tail every time I just drifted on the surface for breaks when my tail tired. I was having a great time in the infinite space; I definitely preferred this over my bathtub.

Dawn was having just as a great a time. She was exploring, but sticking closer to the surface for warmth. Sadly, there wasn't any marine life, so we could exactly play with them. But we were enjoying ourselves anyway.

When she was a mermaid, Dawn was especially happy. To her, it was like she was letting go of any restrictions, just letting everything go and playing around. It was a freeing feeling, and not just for her. It felt good to be in fish form, especially since I've been trying to hold it in. It's not a good practice, and not one I should've been doing at all, but I wanted to fit in and live a sort of normal life.

Dawn in mermaid form was a true beauty. She had a tail as blue as the color of innocent blue eyes. Her hair curled when it got drier after having it in the water for a long period of time. And her face was much more open, happier. She didn't have that reserved, calculating look she had when she was in the presence of other people she didn't know. She never had it around me, but when she was with everyone last night at dinner, it was there.

She had lived a hard life with her mother. She'd only had about six to seven years of a childhood. Her mother had left their father when she was three, so she barely knew him. It had been an odd break up because it was her father that had threatened to walk. Valencia had told everyone she'd kicked him out. But in truth, he'd walked out on his own.

I remembered catching him on his way to the car with a suitcase. I was three then, so it surprised me now that I could remember it so clearly. I'd walked up to him—well, more like toddled up to him, as I was barely learning how to walk—and asked him in my baby talk where he was going.

"I'm leaving, Serenity. I'm going home," he'd told me as he threw his suitcase into the back of his truck.

"But this is home," I'd said. It definitely didn't sound like that, but that's what I'd said.

"I'm going home with _my _mommy and daddy," he told me. He'd knelt down to my height, putting a hand on my tiny shoulder and looked me in the eye.

My small plump lips formed an 'O'. Even at that young an age, I could take a hint. I knew he was leaving Valencia and Dawn. I also knew he was doing it for a reason.

"I can't stand living with that woman after what she did," he said under his breath. I knew he hadn't meant for me to hear it. But I heard it anyway. "Damn you, Valencia. Just—damn you. Taking my daughter away from me…." He trailed off then, his eyes clouded over and haunted, as if he were in a different time and place. Then he shook his head and looked back at me.

"I've gotta go now, Renity. I'll miss you, you know that?"

I nodded silently, eyes wide, expression bewildered. My uncle lifted me into his arms and hugged me tightly. I'd hugged him back instinctively. He set me back down again, and I had noticed he had swiped at his eyes quickly before I could see the tears there.

I touched a small finger to the corner of his eye, my forehead creased in concern.

"Cwy? You cwying? Don't be sad, unca Wuke. 'S okay…" I remembered laying my hand on his cheek, softly stroking the side of his face in an attempt to make him feel better. He'd squeezed his eyes shut and blown out a shaky breath.

"Bye-bye, Serenity. Bye-bye." Then he stood up, leaving me there on the gravel dirt road. But I didn't just stay there. I followed him up to the drivers' side door of his truck.

I laid a hand on his pant leg, making him stop rigidly.

"Don't go, Unca Wuke! Pwease!" By then I was in tears. Uncle Luke turned around slowly and scooped me up into his arms.

"Oh, Serenity. I have to go. I can't stay here, no more. Tell—," he choked off, trying to speak around the lump in his throat. He cleared it. "Tell Dawn that I love her, okay? Will you do that for me?" He leaned back so that he could see my face. He wiped tears from my face with his hand.

I nodded, my lip quivering as another round of tears fell. Tears welled up in his eyes, too.

"Okay," he'd said, more to himself than to me. "Okay." Then he pressed a kiss to my forehead and set me down on the sidewalk. He started up the car, and that was when I got really hysterical.

I'd started sobbing, right there on the sidewalk, calling to my uncle who just kept on driving. Driving away from us, his family who loved him so much.

"No! No! Unca Wuke! Unca Wuke, come back!" I'd half sobbed, half screamed. My mother had come over as soon as she realized that I'd wandered off to Dawn's house by myself, and caught me like this. She'd held me, smoothing back my hair and rocking me back and forth on her knees on the sidewalk. I remember seeing her brush away tears that she'd shed herself. Everyone had been devastated, Dawn the most.

I'd told her what he said, but she still hadn't recovered for a long time. And when she had, she never forgot. She carried those memories with her since then. When she turned five, she remembered all of that with a vengeance. She had me tell her all over again, and since she could comprehend everything with newer, more advanced knowledge, she found out who the real offender was. For the years that followed that fateful day, she'd blamed her father for leaving her. But what she knew now and didn't know then was who the real enemy was.

Her own mother.

And since then, Dawn has never forgiven her. Not that I could blame her. I wouldn't forgive Valencia if I was her daughter.

But now Dawn is a strong, independent woman who can do more than take care of herself. She was a survivor. Just like all Second Children.

"Serenity, snap out of it! What's wrong?" Dawn was beside me, looking down at me in concern. I realized I had been drifting silently for almost twenty minutes. I righted myself in the water. I spotted a large boulder nearby and swam toward it.

"Nothing's wrong," I assured her. "I was just thinking."

"Oh," Dawn nodded. Well, at least I didn't have to explain myself.

"Wait," I said suddenly, "what time is it?"

"Looks like it's almost nine or ten, why?" Dawn's face scrunched up in confusion.

I gulped. Uh-oh. The imprints and girls were supposed to be at the house at eight to start experimenting for the wedding. Well, I know one thing. I'm in _big_ trouble.

"We have to be at the house, pronto! The girls were supposed to come by at _eight!_"

Dawn's face turned from confusion to an expression that said, _oh sh*t._

And that expression said it all.

We dived back underwater and swam for all we were worth to the shore. It was a good thing we didn't leave anything up on the cliff; otherwise we'd have to go all the way back up there. We started walking all the way back to my house, trying to look natural and unhurried.

Dawn and I tried to look unconcerned and composed when we entered my house, but the moment we walked through the door, seven femininely pissed-off faces turned towards us, putting us in the center spotlight.

We almost lost our nerve right there.

"Good morning, Serenity, Dawn," Rachel said, coolly. She stood up from her seat on the armrest of my couch, her hands on her hips in a menacing way. I swallowed discreetly, keeping my poker face in place.

"We all got here at eight in the morning," she continued, this time taking one hand off her waist and examining her nails in a manner that in no way lessened my growing sense of panic. Still, I kept my face an emotionless mask. I glanced at Dawn, and saw her doing the same.

"And you weren't here. So we waited. We waited here for an hour and a half. And now you have finally arrived. Care to explain?" Rachel raised an eyebrow questioningly.

That expression said it all. We had hell to pay.

Dawn and I shared a glance. I raised my eyebrows ever-so-slightly. The action conveyed my question. _Should we tell them? _

To be honest, I didn't see why we shouldn't. Or why it would piss them off. Well, maybe it would piss them off to know that we were out causing slight trouble in the neighborhood while they were sitting here waiting. We'd spent most of the morning swimming, though, so maybe we could just tell them that.

But I didn't want to keep secrets or lie, so I decided to tell them everything.

"So let me get this straight," Brianne said, hands up, forefingers pointing upward in a manner that said, _wait a minute._ "You two were gone for _five hours_ stealing _chocolates_ and _cliff-diving_, while we were here waiting for you two for an hour and a half thinking you," She pointed at Dawn, "had scared her out of her marriage and eloped to Mexico?"

"You guys thought that?" I was incredulous. That's how they spend their free time? They need to get serious help.

Brianne grinned. "Nah; if anything, you would've eloped to New York. All the glam and show biz." She winked.

I rolled my eyes.

"So," Jennifer said. She sanded her hands together. "Are you ready to do this? Your wedding is tomorrow, after all."

Gee, thanks for reminding me. Flutters attacked my stomach, making me glad that I hadn't eaten any breakfast. All I'd eaten were the chocolates. And I wanted those to stay in my stomach while it happily digested them.

I glared at her for a second, but then smiled. "Sure, let's do it."

"Well, first thing's first," Addison said, speaking for the first time since Dawn and I had gotten here. "That hair, while beautiful, is too long. You won't be tripping over your dress at the wedding; you'll be tripping over your hair."

"So, I'm going to cut it." Dawn finished, looping her arm through mine. "Just like you asked me to."

I gulped. Okay, so maybe I did ask for it, but that didn't mean I was going to enjoy it! My hair is my pride! It took me forever to grow it as long as it went! I took a deep breath.

_What exactly possessed me to ask for such a crazy, stupid, horrible request?_

_And what have I gotten myself into?_

**A/N: Okay, well there you have it. Review, pretty please! **

**Ciao!**

**~Alee V.**


	6. Serious Preparations & the Wedding Day!

**New chapter for Hanging in the Balance. Enjoy, and please review. Finally, here is the awaited wedding of Serenity and Jacob! And, I'm taking faerie princess's wedding idea. Soulmates… and lovebirds kind of thing. But with wolves. XD**

**So, enjoy and please review! Thanks to nene82743 for reviewing on the last chapter! Love ya! :) **

**Read on!**

**REVIEW?**

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><p>My breathing hitched into an irregular pattern. I squeezed my eyes shut. Sweat trickled down my back, a shiver climbing up my spine. I tried to take a deep breath, but I couldn't. Why, oh why must life be so cruel to me?<p>

"Relax! It's not like I'm going to kill you. It's just hair."

Correction: Why, oh why, must my cousin _Dawn_ be so cruel to me?

Because I asked her to, that's why.

"Easy for you to say," I told her. "You _like _your hair short." A whine escaped my throat. I felt a small piece of me react in pleasure because it sounded more animal than human. I bit back a smile.

"Just hold still, or it'll end up a lot shorter than it has to be." That shut me up.

In the reflection of the mirror, I saw Dawn holding the pair of scissors in her right hand, her left grabbing my hair. I sighed, resigned.

The only reason I was letting her touch my hair—let alone _cut _it—was because I was getting married tomorrow. Yes, that's right! I'm getting married to Jacob _tomorrow!_ Holy crap, that's such a little bit of time. Right now, the girls are here to experiment with all their stuff. That means make-up, the dress, the shoes, and the hair are all going to be on me. Oh joy.

The scissors came closer. My breathing came faster. The scissors touched my hair. I wanted to close my eyes and look away, but I was horribly fascinated, unable to look away. I've always been weird like that; I have to see what's going on, no matter what it is.

The scissors closed. My hair was cut. It fell to the floor. And I grabbed my remaining hair, pulling the now shorter ends up to my face. Damn. It hasn't been this short since I turned seventeen. Exactly a year and four months ago.

I turned in my chair from the bathroom sink, and stared at all the hair on the floor. It was enough for a second head. I am not even kidding you. There was literally another head-full of hair on the floor at my feet.

"So what do you wanna do with it?" Dawn asked me. She leaned down and picked it up as best she could without leaving any strays behind.

"Donate it, I guess," I answered. Oh yeah. I'm nothing if not charitable. At times.

Dawn snorted. Well.

"So much hair," I groaned. "I'm not used to having such short hair! I feel… I don't know, naked." It wasn't a lie. I felt exposed without my usual curtain of hair trailing behind me. Something I would have to get used to for a while now.

"Serenity! Come here, I need you over here, right now!" I groaned. Brianne had something planned for me, I knew. Nonetheless, I did what I was told. Well, demanded, more like it.

I crossed the hall to my room. Waiting in front of my bed was Brianne, and she was holding my wedding dress out for me. I knew what she wanted, but I was still reluctant to put it on when anyone could walk in at any moment.

Rolling my eyes, I lifted my sundress up and over my head, coming around to step into the wedding dress. I stood at my window, waiting for her to zip it up and button it. I smoothed it out when she was finished, smiling at the feel of it. I felt giddy, thinking about tomorrow when I would walk down the isle of the church and meet Jacob at the altar, where we would get married and finally be together for the rest of our lives.

Speaking of which, did I forget to mention that we had already gone looking for houses? Nothing too big, has a nice view of the beach, a huge backyard—so huge that it looked like it could be a ranch, or a farm—and four bedrooms. I supposed we could use those for guest rooms, or maybe some storage rooms or offices or something. All I know is that I want that house!

Brianne griped my arm and dragged me to the full length mirror hanging on the bathroom door. I stared at myself. In the mirror was not me. It was some other girl, in a white wedding gown, hair glossy and wavy and cascading partly down her back and over one shoulder. Her eyes were dark brown, almost black, and she had rosy lips, which were currently parted slightly in surprise.

"Gorgeous," Brianne said. She smiled at me in the mirror. I smiled dazedly back. "Now it's time for the make-up." My smile faltered. She smirked. "Come on."

And I was once again dragged back into my room. I was to sit in front of my window, facing away from it in a chair. I was supposed to sit there and let them apply make-up on my face until they were done and satisfied with that. Then I was to sit there again for even longer to let them do my hair. How could this not be considered torture?

So, I sucked it up and sat there, closing and opening my eyes when needed, closing and opening my mouth when needed, and turning my head this way and that. To my surprise, it was over much faster than I thought. Well, my make-up, anyway.

When I asked, all Addison said was, "You didn't need much. Just some eye shadow, some gloss, and that's it."

I didn't know whether to be offended or flattered, so I just said, "Okay."

Next, they worked on my hair. It was pretty simple when they figured it out. Note; I said "when they figured it out" and not "when they actually did it." Oh yeah—they didn't have a clue in the beginning what to do with my hair. You would think that one would come prepared and ready when helping a friend get ready for her wedding. But no. They wasted literally _hours_ arguing and experimenting—hurting my scalp and making my hair considerably less manageable—different hairstyles only to come up with the most simplest hair style at Dawn's suggestion.

I was so ready to cuss them out—except that I don't do that kind of thing. But I swear these girls could make even the most loving, calm, gentle person turn into an ax-murderer. But I love'em all the same.

Turned out, the simple hairstyle they decided on—with my consent, of course—was a braided crown along the crown of my head, with the rest of my hair cascading down my head in curls. It started at the end of my hair by my ear, and ended at the other ear, like a hair band. My hair would already be curly by then, so I wouldn't have to use a curling iron. Or, _they _wouldn't have to use a curling iron, I mean.

"Now, I want a picture of that!" Emily said. She was lying on my bed, eating Oreos from the box. Her belly was ballooning from her tiny body, already more than six months into her pregnancy. I smiled.

"The camera is in the drawer in the kitchen with the rags," I told her. "Go get it, Dawn."

Dawn raised an eyebrow. She put her hands on her hips, silently communicating, _Excuse me?_

"You heard me. Go get it." Then, I added, "Please."

She let out a _humph_ and then went downstairs to get the camera.

"So, are you excited?" Rachel said from behind me. She was currently combing through my waves, making sure I didn't have any knots.

"Of course I am!" I exclaimed. "Why wouldn't I be? I'm marrying the man that I love! Life is great!"

"Yeah," she said wistfully. "It sure is."

"Listen," she said in a more serious and low tone. Sensing that it was important, I looked over at the girls and saw no need to worry. They were busy playing around with the make-up at my desk. "Yeah?" I said questioningly.

"I heard about your stalker," she told me. I momentarily froze for a second. Would it be okay to deny it?

Then I said, "Who told you?" Ah, I hate denying the truth, anyway. What reason did I have to deny it besides privacy?

"Jacob. But only because he knew I could keep a secret. He didn't tell Becca," she added. Then she scoffed affectionately. "God knows Becca can't keep a secret."

Not just God, I thought, but anyone who's ever been stupid enough to trust Rebecca Leila Black with a secret.

And that was a lot of us—before we knew how loose-lipped the girl was.

I laughed along with Rachel. "Indeed," I agreed.

"Are you mad that Jake told me?" she asked, sounding worried. "Because I totally don't mean to pry into your guys' lives, I mean, I know it's none of my business, but I just want you to know—I've got your backs. You know that, right? Anything you need, call me, and I'll be here as fast as I can." Her smile was so sincere I wouldn't have doubted her of anything.

I smiled back at her, touched. "Thanks, Rach. I really appreciate it."

"No problem," she beamed. "After all, you _are_ going to become my sister-in-law tomorrow."

I laughed. She had no idea what she was in for, having me as a sister-in-law.

"I'm moving in with Paul, by the way, so I can be here pretty fast," she added, almost as an afterthought.

This piece of news wasn't really surprising. I had already known that she would eventually. Imprints can't be apart for long, anyways. I would know, firsthand. Insert sigh here.

I needed something, something that would calm me and hopefully stop this sudden need to go pee. Blame it on my nerves. I always have to go pee when I'm really nervous. I don't know why. I'm just weird like that. So far, I haven't done it yet, but you never know when it could just creep up on you, if you know what I mean.

Of course you do, we're all human here. At least I think so. I'm pretty sure…

So anyway, I needed music. And Dawn and Leah must've seen it in my face or something, because the next thing I knew, Leah was going to my radio on my desk, and Dawn was going to my iPod plugged into my stereo system. They both stopped at the music devices abruptly when they saw each other reaching for different things, and then looked at me.

Unable to choose, I did eenee-meenee-minee-mo. I landed on Leah. She turned up the radio, and a song playing caught my ear. Luckily, it was just starting, so I could enjoy it. It was one of my favorites by Adam Gontier.

"_Did you hear me when I said, 'I won't take it anymore'?_

_I won't be your mat_

_Lying on the floor._

_Do you miss me when you think of me_

_Lying all alone?_

_Did you really think,_

_My heart was made of stone?_

_It's the hurt we never wanted._

_What we wanted, we never got._

_It's the missing that will kill you._

_Knowing that you missed your shot."_

God, that man writes the most wonderful lyrics and songs. I could listen to this one all day. Not that I had time to do that right now, but still; I would if I could.

I hummed and sang along with his voice, the room seeming to brighten even though it was rainy and gloomy outside. It certainly didn't feel like it in my room. I looked around at my friends and felt nothing but happiness. Joy. Love. And of course motherly instincts because of the baby boy in Emily's stomach. But that wasn't as prominent as it would be if she needed help, or had some sort of craving. Then I would be as protective and loving as a momma bear. But, for the moment at least, everything was as calm as can be.

Until the ring of the doorbell shattered the calmness.

Who could that be? No one was supposed to be here; they all knew that the girls were helping me with wedding stuff. And besides—everyone was keeping Jacob busy. And hopefully away from a stripper club. Always stay away from those—especially if you're a married man, or a guy with a girlfriend. That's the best way to ensure a breakup. Unless you have a very twisted girlfriend.

Everyone suddenly felt the need to voice my thoughts.

"Who is that?"

"You know who that is?"

"It can't be the guys."

"Everyone knows what's going on here."

"So who is it?" Nobody seemed to have an answer to my question.

Then I got an idea, and a wicked smile curled on my lips. I lifted my dress up a bit so that I could walk around. The girls followed me with frowns on their faces, wondering what the heck I was doing. I walked down the stairs, careful in my heels and dress. I reached the door just as it rang again for the second time. I threw open the door.

The girl on the other side was tall, thin, and pale skinned. She had brown hair, brown eyes, and pale pink lips that were currently parted slightly in shock at my apparel. Her eyes scanned me slowly, from my feet to my head, taking in my dress, make-up, and hairstyle. I stared at her, equally shocked.

"Grace?" I said incredulously.

"Serenity! Hi, uh—are you—getting married?" She spoke, and her voice was so surprised that I would've laughed had I not been so surprised.

Grace. Grace Elora Chance Garand. Dawn's older sister. The sister who hasn't shown her face to any of us in thirteen years. The older sister who was never there for her younger one.

"Uh, yeah. I am, I am getting married." I let out a breath. "Tomorrow."

"Wow," Grace breathed, "That's pretty… fast, don't you think?"

Any smile left on my face slipped away. My expression and my voice were cool. "I've been engaged for four months. I've had time to prepare and plan." _You would know if you were here, _I wanted to say. But I didn't. I couldn't. It just wasn't in my nature to say those kinds of things without provocation or reason. But the second she gives me one, oh, believe me when I say I'll let her have it.

Dawn came up behind me, and I knew that she had recognized Grace's voice. Even after thirteen years of her absence. There are just some things you can't ever forget in your life time, no matter how much you try. She stopped behind me, arms crossed, glaring at her older sister.

"Can we help you?" she asked coldly. Gee, I wonder why. Note the sarcasm.

Grace looked surprised. "Dawn? What are you doing here? I thought you were up with Val—Mom."

Huh. It seemed strange that she stopped abruptly when she was going to call Valencia by her first name. And then she called her Mom. That was a title that woman did not deserve. She didn't really show if she loved her children. She would have happily given Grace and Dawn to my Mom and Dad. In the end, she'd kept them as a way of saying, "I won. You can't have them. They're mine, not yours." She saw them as trophies, things to own, _possessions,_ instead of her own children.

The day Grace left—at age fifteen, mind you—had been yet another heartbreaking day for Dawn and the family. She had left with her boyfriend, some loser with saggy pants who always wore bright colored underwear to show off. I remembered this because those colors were _really bright._ I'm talking neon colors, here. He was a loser who didn't have money, a place to stay, or any limits. He was a thug, but Grace insisted she loved him.

Please; he was just her ride out of here.

Dawn shrugged. "I was," she said. She offered no other explanation.

Grace nodded slowly. "I see."

"So what do you want?" I asked her. I wasn't trying to be mean; I was just tired of beating around the bush. The longer I held the door open, the more the heat came out of the house. Not that I minded; I was 108 degrees in body temperature. But Emily wasn't. And she had a baby in her stomach.

I waved Grace inside the house. She entered hesitantly, reluctantly. Guiltily, I saw, with some surprise. What did she have to be guilty about? My shoulders suddenly had the urge to rise like hackles. There was a certain smell that lingered on Grace. A smell that I remembered from a long time ago at Brianne's old house. It was…

Kitty litter?

I cracked up right then and there. Leah was much the same, shoulders rigid and stiff. She looked over at me like I was insane. She still hadn't caught on then. Oh my Gosh. It made perfect sense! I was technically a dog! So of course it makes sense to be repulsed by a cat person! The entire concept was hilarious!

I laughed for so long, I'm sure my face was red. I could feel tears sliding down my face, making me laugh even harder. What irony!

"What is so funny?" everyone in the room said at the same time. No one found that funny.

I waved Leah over to me. She came and leaned down so I could whisper in her ear.

"Cats," I said. "That's why we're so on edge. Cause she smells like cats!" I cracked up again. And this time, so did Leah. Not as much as me, but still. We laughed so hard, that eventually Emily caught on, and then Rachel, then Kim, then Dawn. None of the others did, but they laughed still. The only one who didn't laugh was Grace. She just looked down at her shoes, uncomfortable.

Well. Hater.

"Whooo," I said, wiping a tear out of my eye, "that was great. But seriously, Grace, why are you here?"

Grace's head snapped up, her expression startled. I noticed what she was wearing, then. She was wearing raggedy clothes, ripped up jeans, worn sneakers, and a holey shirt. It was kind of shocking, actually. From what I remember, she was a real girly girl. She only wore famous brands of clothes, girly stuff, skirts, heels, and tank tops. This was such a drastic change, that I was concerned if something had happened.

"Uh, well, I have to tell you the whole story if I am to make you understand," she murmured, not looking at me.

"Well, go ahead. I'm all ears," I told her. I brought her over to a chair in the living room and sat down in the opposite one in front of her.

"Well, you remember when I was with Francisco, right? When I left?"

I nodded.

"Well, uh, we found a place to stay, and we got jobs, and everything was okay for a while. I thought we were going to make it until something happened." Her eyes darkened, and they looked so sad that I wanted to reach out and pat her back.

"I got pregnant," she whispered. "And this was recent. I mean, I barely had her in December last year. But Francisco told me to get rid of her, to get an abortion before it was too late. But I didn't want to. I wanted her. I didn't want to kill her, or get rid of her. I was willing to work double, triple, whatever it took to provide for us. But he didn't want her. So he kicked me out.

"I lived on the streets for a while, until this old lady took me in. She said that she would help me until the baby was born, and that when she was, we would have to leave. I was so grateful to her. When she was born, I left the old lady and wandered around, looking for places to stay.

"But then I realized that I would never be able to sustain us both on minimum wages, on little jobs that paid so little money. I couldn't afford anyone's rent. I couldn't afford to buy food. Hell, most of the time, I never even ate. I had to breastfeed my baby, and I had to eat for that. I traveled in a car, most of the money spent on gas. I saved some, whatever I could, so that I could buy food. But it was never enough."

Grace was crying, sniffling while she told us her story. It broke my heart to hear that such a thing had happened to someone I loved. I handed her a tissue, which she took and thanked me for. Then she started where she left off.

"I knew that I couldn't keep my baby anymore. I knew it. But I loved her so much; I didn't want to let her go. I couldn't bear the thought of leaving her at an orphanage, or at some random stranger's doorstep. So I wandered around, not knowing where I was going, until I wound up in La Push. And then I realized I was coming here, to you, Serenity. I know that you would give her the life my baby deserves, the life she needs.

"I am so sorry to put this burden on you. But it was either you, or an old friend that I don't even think is alive anymore. Will you please take my baby girl? Please? I will do whatever you want me to, I'll pay you back all the money you spend on her, I promise. Just please, take her and raise her like she should be raised. She needs and deserves parents or guardians who will love her, and protect her, and always be able to provide whatever she needs. And I know that you will do that, and so much more. Please, Serenity. I am begging you. I wouldn't be asking you this if I didn't think you were her best chance.

"Please," she whispered one last time. She squeezed her eyes shut, and another tear leaked out.

Meanwhile, I was shocked frozen. I wasn't sure I was breathing. I was numb, not moving, not blinking. I couldn't even think. Me. She was asking _me_ to raise her child, her baby girl for her. Oh my God. I think I'm seeing stars. I can't believe it. She wants me to take her baby for her.

Well, technically that baby was my niece. And Grace was right; I would take care of her and love her and provide for her the best I could. I would do it. Not just for Grace, but for my niece as well. I imagined a baby girl in my mind. She had blue eyes, like Grace, mousy brown hair, a little button nose, and rosy cheeks. In my mind, she grinned a toothless grin, and touched my face with her tiny hand.

I felt a hand hit my back hard, and I was suddenly jarred out of my thoughts.

"Breathe, Serenity!" Dawn's voice sounded worried and I felt her hand around my elbow.

I sucked in a deep breath, and then I was gasping from the while that I hadn't been breathing. I put my hand on my chest, feeling my heart thumping underneath my hand.

"Serenity?" Grace said in a small voice. She sounded so vulnerable, so small.

I looked over at her, looked her in the eye and just looked. I saw her pain, her fear, her hope, and her love for her child, the heartbreak at having to leave her. I saw a woman, only twenty-eight, who had to grow up so quickly at the age of fifteen.

I nodded at her. "I'll take her. I'll raise your baby. Are you going to visit? Are you going to come back?"

Grace looked rueful, and I realized she was hoping I wouldn't ask that. "I'm not ever coming back, Serenity," she mumbled. "I can't. I won't be able to. I don't even know if I will ever survive out there."

"So stay," I reasoned. "Stay and you can take care of your daughter."

"I don't want to," Grace shook her head.

"What's her name?"

"Milagros. Her name is Milagros."

I nodded. Milagros was miracles in Spanish.

"Where is she? I thought you said you didn't leave her at an orphanage," I said, looking around for a baby carrier or something. I hadn't seen Grace come in with anything.

"Right here," Grace said. She stood up from her seat, and walked over to the front door. On the floor was a baby carrier/car seat, which I guessed the baby was in. Grace brought it over, and uncovered it, revealing the baby inside.

She was more beautiful than I had imagined. Her eyes were a darker, richer blue, and her cheeks were rosier and plumper. She was just waking up, her plump little lips forming a small 'O'. My heart swelled with instant love for this child. Her eyes opened, and stopped on Grace. Then they slid over to me and stared. We engaged in a little staring contest, neither one of us blinking. Then she did the sweetest thing.

She smiled at me.

Grace sniffled, and took her daughter out of the car seat. She slipped a gold chain over her head, and slipped it over her daughter's smaller head. She held Milagros close to her chest, kissing the baby's capped head. Then, Grace thrust Milagros—gently enough—into my arms, and rushed out the door. "Goodbye, don't look for me," she muttered in a rush. And she slammed the door behind her and was gone.

~0000~

"_Break! Away from everybody! Break! Away from everything! If you can't take, the way this place is, take! Yourself! To higher places!"_

I jumped as my phone rang in my back pocket. I fumbled it out and answered it, careful of Milagros in my arms. I nestled my cellphone between my cheek and shoulder.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey," Dawn's voice greeted me. "What have you got?"

"I've got diapers, a first-aid kit with the thermometers and stuff, baby monitors, some clothes—yes, _some_, because I'm counting on you to get more—some formula, and I've got my eye on a really nice carriage," I listed. I pushed my cart, already filled with stuff, down the aisle, looking around at all the other stuff. Well, as best as I could with my phone keeping my face locked onto my shoulder.

Let me fill you in. The girls and I had been shocked when Grace just left in her car, intending to never come back. But I had sworn that I would raise this baby, and I would. Jacob wouldn't mind. That was one of the benefits of being imprints; the imprinters would do anything for the imprintees. I hated to use that against him, but I was really going to need it now. Especially since I'm not sure what he would do otherwise.

So the imprints and girls and I are at several stores in Port Angeles, looking around and buying as many baby things as we had enough money in our wallets for. I had enough for what was already in my cart, so I started walking toward the cashiers. The lines weren't too long, but I would be waiting for some time.

Rachel and Emily were off at Wal-Mart, Brianne and Jennifer were off at Target, I was in Babies-R-Us, and Dawn and Kim and Addison were at the mall looking for stuff there. We were buying anything we thought Milagros might need. Food, clothes, supplies, blankets, pacifiers, bottles, that kind of thing. Leah was looking for the boys to tell them about this.

It was finally my turn to put my stuff on the counter. I put Milagros back in her car seat, which I had connected to the cart, and said goodbye to Dawn, hanging up. I put everything on the counter, putting the breaker at the end of the counter as the cashier pulled all of the stuff up so he could ring it up.

He whistled as he looked at it all. "That is a lot of stuff. Is there more than one of them?" he asked. He squinted first at Milagros, and then he leaned over the counter to look at my stomach. For a second I didn't know why, but then I realized both what he was looking for, and what he was implying.

"Oh, no," I rushed to disprove his line of thought. "I'm not pregnant, and she's not—" I caught myself abruptly. I was going to say that she wasn't mine, but, now that her mother was gone and she left Milagros with me, Milagros was technically mine, I guess.

"Uh, she practically has nothing," I finished lamely. I sighed, and gave Milagros my finger to grip. She clenched her little hand on it, squeezing with a surprisingly strong grip. I smiled at her. She was too busy gazing at my finger in wonder and curiosity to notice.

"That'll be $124.36, ma'am," the clerk said. I reached into my wallet and pulled out three fifties. He gave me my change, and I left. I buckled Milagros in her car seat in the car, and got in myself, the bags already in the trunk. I started the drive to Target to meet up with Brianne and Jennifer.

We arrived in record time. I had to get another cart to attach Milagros's carrier, but as soon as I went inside, I saw Brianne and Jennifer already at the check-out lines. My jaw dropped at the sight of them.

They had two carts, literally full to the brim. Those carts were so full that things were spilling out. I saw Rachel and Emily with them. They were helping load everything up on the counters. I felt sorry for the poor cashiers, who were struggling to ring everything. And they had a lot to ring up.

There was one cart filled with big boxes for big stuff, and the other was filled with clothes, toys, diapers, supplies, and anything else a baby could need. Milagros was one lucky baby. I wondered how they were going to pay for all of that.

It turned out they brought a _lot _of cash on them. More than over three hundred bucks, I found out when we were packing up the stuff in Brianne's car's trunk. The poor thing was full. They had more than enough money, so they bought those rocking seat things, those vibrating chairs, an eating chair, and several other things that would make caring for Milagros easier.

If only it felt that way. I felt honored that Grace had thought of me when she thought of someone to give her baby to. But I was so unprepared, so shocked. I hadn't expected it. In fact, if someone had told me that I would be taking care of my niece in place of her mother, I would've called them sick and twisted, kicked them where the sun don't shine, and then left haughtily. Yeah, sorry, laughing in someone's face just isn't my style.

So we picked up Dawn, Kim, and Addison—who had bought considerably less than Brianne, Jennifer, Rachel, Emily, and me, thank God—and then we headed home.

On the way home, I noticed how silent and quiet Milagros was. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I would've said she wasn't even in the car. But when I looked back over my shoulder and in the rearview mirror, she was just fine, staring out the windows with wide eyes. As if she felt my gaze on her, she looked over at me in the mirror, and smiled. I smiled back at her.

We made it home all in one piece. I say that because it had been raining horribly today. And tomorrow's the wedding. But it's going to be dry tomorrow. Don't ask me how I know, I just do. Bride's instincts, maybe?

If you say so.

I had to be quick in getting Milagros into the house. I pulled her dirty pink blanket over her car seat/carrier, and dashed inside the house behind everyone else.

Inside, we all agreed that we would sort through all the stuff when I got back from my honeymoon with Jacob. Then I suggested that everyone spend the night here because it was so rainy outside that I didn't want anyone to get hurt or something. We all agreed. The girls would sleep on the couches, Emily would sleep with Dawn and I, and Rachel would sleep with Leah in Austin's room. I knew both my dad and my brother wouldn't mind if or when they got home.

So we all settled in, and I rocked and sang Milagros to sleep and then put her in her crib (the one we got from the trunks before we got in the house). Then I fell asleep myself to the sound of Dawn's and Emily's and Milagros's even breaths.

~00000~

I woke up on my own. I sat up in bed, stretching my arms over my head, and blinking in the morning sunlight streaming in from my window. My eyes snapped open. Wait a minute…

I dashed over to the window, spreading the curtains open and gasping in delight.

_Sunlight. _Yes!

I grinned. Sunlight! A sunny, dry wedding! I knew it! I was right all along! Everything looked so much more beautiful in sunlight. Things look majestic in the moonlight. The contrast doesn't make scenery any less breathtaking. Trust me, I know.

The sound of gurgles and coos from behind me caught my attention. I turned around and went over to the crib beside my bed. Lying in the crib, nestled in blankets and pajamas, was Milagros, my niece-slash-daughter. She wasn't technically my daughter, but I would treat her like she was. When she's old enough to understand, I'll tell her. I'll tell her the truth.

I smiled at her, and she did this goofy little smile where she crinkled her nose and made a breathy laugh, her arms flailing around, feet kicking, hands clenching. I laughed softly. She was so precious.

I reached into the crib and gently lifted her out of it. I held her in my arms, looking down at her. Blue eyes, mousy brown hair; rosy cheeks and pink plump lips. I didn't know where she got the blue eyes from, but I knew it was probably from her father. She gurgled, and spit dribbled from her mouth. I wiped it up with my shirt.

"Awww, that's such a Kodak moment! Why don't I carry a camera with me? Dammit! That was so sweet, I'm getting a cavity!"

The quiet peace was shattered. I glared at Dawn, who sat on her knees on my bed, her hair a haystack on her head. I honestly didn't know how our hair could get like that. It's not like we're restless sleepers who move constantly, shoving other people off the bed and waking up on the floor. No, we value our sleep. And for once my hair wasn't crazy like hers was this morning.

I knew cutting it would make a difference!

Emily woke up too, and I glanced at the clock on my nightstand. 5:14 A.M. It was time for me to shower. With Milagros in my arms still, I marched down the stairs, banging on Austin's door to wake up Rachel and Leah. "Wake up, girls! It's five o'clock, and I need to get movin'! So do you guys if you are to be dressed to your nines! So come on, let's go, and wake up!"

All of them were up the moment I started yelling. I handed Milagros to Dawn, telling her to feed her some formula for me while I showered. I dashed up the stairs, grabbed my necessities and ran into the bathroom, locking the door behind me.

As the warm water cascaded on my back, I let it soothe my tense muscles, relaxing while I shampoo-ed and conditioner-ed. Shaved, cleaned, and dried, I exited the bathroom in my bra and panties with my robe wrapped around me tightly.

Addison was waiting for me in my room, holding the dress for me. I smiled at her in thanks and stepped into it, waiting in front of the window while she zipped and buttoned me up. When she finished, she made me turn around, and then called the others to help with hair and make-up. I obediently sat down in the chair and waited.

While they worked on my minimal make-up, I sat perfectly still. A peaceful tranquility had settled over the house, and I was enjoying it. Dawn walked in right when they finished with my make-up with Milagros in her arms. I grinned and held my arms out for her. Dawn handed her to me, and I cradled her to me while Rachel and Jennifer worked on my hair.

"Here comes the bride," Dawn sang while I got my shoes on. By now it was nine in the morning, three hours from the time I was supposed to be at the chapel. "All dressed in white! Save me some cake—and I don't know the other words!"

We all laughed. The girls and imprints were getting ready themselves now. All showered and wearing dresses, they looked stunning. The only thing missing was a dress for Milagros.

Almost as if she had read my thoughts, Dawn stood up, a grin on her face. "Wait here," she told me. "I've got a little something-something for our niece." And with that, she spun on her silver heel and walked up the stairs.

Two minutes later, she clicked down, holding something behind her back. "Close your eyes," she ordered. I complied. "Now"—I heard the rustle of fabric in front of me—"open them."

I did. I gasped at the object Dawn held in her hand. A dress, small, just the right size for a newborn baby, glittered on a hanger. It was all white with a sash in the middle, a purple rose applique pinned to it, the same color as the sash. It was a pale, yet eye-catching purple, lavender. It was perfect, and had matching shoes, which Dawn held next to the dress in her other hand.

"Oh, my God, Dawn, it's perfect," I gasped. "Do you like it, baby? Huh?" I grinned down at Milagros, who seemed to be engrossed in the dress, transfixed with the color and shininess. Her hands reached out, clenching and unclenching into fists, a clear sign that she wanted it.

"I guess so," I laughed. "Let's put it on you." And so saying, I laid her down on the couch, and started taking off her pajamas. I left her white onesie on, knowing that the inside of the dress was probably going to be itchy, and slipped the dress carefully over her head. I held her carefully while I buttoned up the dress, turning her back around when I was finished and kissing her cheek.

"Gorgeous," I announced. Milagros smiled at me. My heart can't help but swell with love for her when she smiles at me. It's just not possible. Goes against my nature.

Just then, I heard a car arrive outside. Footsteps echoed loudly on the porch outside the door, and then it burst open. My Dad walked in, dressed to the nines in a tan colored tux, smiling slightly. He stopped short when he saw me, though. His jaw dropped in awe, and then I could see tear well up in his eyes. I instantly stood up, Milagros in my arms.

"Oh, Daddy, don't cry!" I exclaimed, walking toward him. "You'll make me cry!" It definitely wasn't a lie. My voice was thick, and I could taste tears in the back of my throat. Dad stepped closer to me and wrapped his arms around me. I heard him sniff.

"My little girl," he blubbered. "You're not so little anymore!"

"I'll always be your little girl, Daddy. Always," I whispered into his shoulder. I knew he heard me though.

Austin walked in next. Just like Dad, his jaw dropped when he saw me. But when tears welled up in his eyes, he blinked them away as best as he could. I was surprised neither of them had noticed Milagros, who was in my arms still, yet.

Austin smiled around his tears. "Oh my God, little sis. Look at you." He held out a hand, and I took it, twirling when he spun me. "You look so beautiful. Are you ready to get married?" he smiled wickedly. "Jacob's so nervous he's vomiting."

I was skeptical. I'm not so sure that's the reason he was vomiting. Could be a hangover. "You didn't take him to a bar, did you?" I asked, glaring. "Because he's underage, remember that!"

"No, we did not take him to a bar," Austin insisted. "He's really just that nervous. We have another two hours before you've gotta be at the chapel, so we can just hang out her—who's that?" He changed his sentence abruptly, having finally caught sight of Milagros.

"My daughter," I said seriously, keeping my expression absolutely serious and straight.

Austin and Dad froze. Time seemed to go agonizingly slow as we continued in our little staring contest. Eventually, Austin blinked.

"What?" he said.

"Well, she's technically my niece, but I'm caring for her like my daughter. Her name is Milagros." I gazed down at her lovingly.

"Who's her mother?" Dad asked, still bewildered.

"Grace," Dawn said from behind me.

"Gracie?" Austin said, shocked.

I nodded. They were silent, absorbing this information.

The door was closed, but then I heard another car park in my drive way, and then another and another, and then several car doors opened and closed in messy synchronization. Who could that be now?

The doorbell rang, and then I smelled a strong, sharp scent that hurt my nose. It smelt like bleach. Lots of it. I began to smile slightly, while Leah looked annoyed across the room.

Dad opened the door, and I shifted Milagros in my arms. I grinned slightly at the people on our porch.

Edward and Bella Cullen were the first two people I saw in the door way. Behind them, I saw Alice and Jasper Cullen, then Esme and Carlisle Cullen, then Rosalie and Emmett Cullen, and then I saw my old bestfriend, Renesmee Cullen. I grinned at them all, but I grinned wider at her.

"Hi, everyone! Long time no see!" I exclaimed as they came inside. The bleach scent was stronger now, but I ignored it, as bearable as it was.

Everyone hugged me, kissed my cheeks, and complimented me, greeting me warmly. I hugged Renesmee harder, greeting her.

"Oh my goodness, you look so different! Just the last time I saw you, you were a little baby girl! Now you look like… a seven year old. It's obviously been too long."

She laughed. "You look so pretty, Serenity! I'm so happy for you and Jacob."

"Hey, Serenity," Emmett said suddenly. I had a feeling I knew what he was going to ask me. "Who's that?"

He was pointing at Milagros. Here's my chance to surprise yet another set of people. I kept my face straight and serious.

"This is my daughter," I said seriously, like before. They all stared.

"But, you didn't tell us you were pregnant!" Alice said, clearly upset by the fact. "I could've planned the best baby shower ever!"

"Or sent us some pictures!" Rosalie added. She looked disappointed.

"But I wasn't pregnant," I said. This confused them even more, and I fought the urge to laugh.

"Then… how?" Edward said. He sounded confused, but I detected the frustration beneath that. I didn't blame him. He was the mind-reader; the one who always knows what's up before everyone else. He couldn't read my mind, and that was frustrating. I'd be frustrated too if I were in his shoes.

"She's related to me by blood, of course," I began. "But family-wise, she's my niece. But my cousin Grace gave her to me yesterday to take care of and to raise. So Milagros is technically my daughter now."

Understanding dawned on everyone's faces. There was an awkward silence in the room. Bella decided to break it.

"Well, we're happy for you. You're technically a mother now! And from all the fabric that I can smell both in here and by your car, you went shopping yesterday, too," she added wryly.

My smile matched her wry tone. "Yep, and this baby will never run out of clothes for a long time. Huh, Milagros?" I lifted the baby girl so that she was level with my face. "Isn't that right?"

Milagros let out a series of coos and gurgles, flailing her fisted hands in a way that only a baby can manage. I laughed, and kissed her forehead gently. Then she was back in my arms, cradled there.

I glanced at the clock. It read 10:15. The drive to the chapel was about a half hour, so I thought we should at least get an early start. I said as much, and everyone agreed. I walked out, Milagros in my arms, with Dawn and Rachel hurrying to pick up the train behind me so that it didn't drag on the floor and get dirty.

Our neighbors—the ones who were outside, anyway—looked up from whatever they were doing and stared as they saw me emerge from my house all dressed in white. Some clapped and whistled, and others shouted their congratulations. I grinned and called out my thanks to them. Oh, a wedding brings joy everywhere. And pain to those other lovesick jerks.

I buckled in Milagros in her car seat, which Dad had gotten out of my car, and sat beside her, bundling my dress in carefully. Dad settled into the driver's seat and looked at me in the rearview mirror.

"You ready, baby girl?" he asked me.

I nodded, smiling wide.

"Then let's go get you married." And he started the car, and took off.

The drive was peaceful, the sun shining in the sky, casting a warm and bright glow on everything. Children were out in their yards playing and laughing, enjoying the sun, and parents were gardening, or watching and playing with them. It was pretty good for a day in La Push and in Forks—really, this part of Washington in general—but I definitely wasn't complaining. It was perfect.

I wasn't the only one who enjoyed the ride. Milagros was gurgling and cooing, playing with the attachable toys on the handle of her car seat. She would hit them and laugh at their rattling noises, and I would pull one, the tiger one, and it would vibrate and make even louder rattling sounds, and she would go nuts. Hearing her laugh made me laugh.

Let's just say my half hour in the car was very entertaining.

When we finally arrived, there were butterflies attacking my stomach. There was a giant crowd of people in front of the chapel, all of them faces I recognized. Friends and people from school, Grandfather, Grandma Lila, Adam and Naomi, Uncle Ian and Aunt Shelby, carrying Abigail between them. The girls and imprints were right there beside them all, grinning and pointing to the car as we pulled up in front of them.

"You ready, Renity?" Dad asked, turning in his seat to look at me. I nodded, and then started unbuckling Milagros from her car seat. With her in my arms, I took a deep breath. Dad came around the car to open my door and help me out. He opened the door and held out his hand for me to take. I took it, Milagros held carefully in my arm, and I emerged from the car, all smiles at everyone waiting for me.

Everyone erupted into cheers, and I smiled at them, feeling like the happiest woman in the world.

"Hi guys!" I shouted in greeting. "I wonder what day it is. Can anyone tell me?"

"Your wedding!" Everyone shouted.

"Saturday!" A voice said from behind me. I turned. Embry was standing there, grinning at me. Behind him was the pack, every single one of them wearing a black tuxedo, and looking rather striking. They all looked like brothers, with their tan skin, tallness, and the way their muscles literally bulged out of their tuxes. If that makes any sense to you…

_No duh,_ I wanted to say, but I just laughed instead.

"Looking good, White," Paul said, looking me up and down. I rolled my eyes.

"Feeling good, Meraz," I said, "too good for you. But you knew that."

"Who's this little cutie?" Jared asked, looking at Milagros. She smiled up at him, and he chuckled.

"This is Milagros." I can't believe how easy these opportunities keep coming up. "My daughter."

They all froze. I laughed, and then started to explain. When I finished, they were real cool about it. I guess Leah hadn't really told them after all. I didn't think she did when she came home with some baby stuff in her car, just like the rest of us had yesterday. So that meant I would be telling Jacob, too. Great. Just _great._

"Hey, Serenity, the groom is floating around here," Dad said. "We can't let him see you just yet, so we're gonna take you into the private room inside the church, alright?"

I frowned, but I nodded, saying that I understood. "All right."

And I let them lead me inside the chapel, and into the private room near the entrance. Dad took that time—the last twenty minutes before I would have to go out there—to tell me all that he needed to.

"Serenity, when I first held you in my arms, eighteen years ago," he began, "I had never been so happy in my life. I had been blessed with another child, a beautiful baby girl. I knew in that moment, that I would protect you, that I would keep you safe from anything that I thought would hurt you. I knew that I would do everything in my power to guide you in the right direction. And today just proves that I have been doing it right. Because the minute you reach the altar, there is no going back. This is the right road that you will go on, this is the right path. Don't let anyone steer you off of it.

"Your love for Jacob is astounding. It reminds me of the way I loved your mother. That is the kind of love that I always hoped you would find, and I can only tell you, give you the advice to never let it go. Never let that boy go." Dad took a deep breath and cleared his throat, trying to talk around the lump in his throat. "I've watched you grow up. From a tiny baby, to a little girl, to a teenager, and now to a woman. I have never been more proud of you. I want you to go out there and live your life with him. Don't be afraid to fall; because if there's one thing I know, it's that Jacob will be there to catch you when I'm not. Just like he has for all these years. I know you love him and I know he loves you. So just hold on to him.

"And know that I love you. I love you so, so, so much." Dad wiped his eyes and kissed my forehead.

"I love you too," I said thickly. I take a deep breath and blink away the tears. We jumped as we heard a knock on the door. Dawn came in, smiling apologetically.

"It's about to start," she said. "Rachel's gonna hold Milagros. All the bridesmaids are in line, all the guests are seated, and the groom is waiting. All we need now is the father and the bride. Oh, here's your bouquet." She handed me the bouquet of purple, blue, and white flowers, and I gave her Milagros. Dawn handed her to Rachel, and Rachel scurried back to her seat.

Dad and I positioned ourselves at the back of the bridesmaid line, which only consisted of Leah, Emily, and Kim, on the arms of their imprinters. Dawn was my maid of honor, and Embry was the best man. Huh. That worked out pretty well.

"Dad," I whispered. "I think I'm gonna throw up." It wasn't a total lie. My stomach was doing all kinds of things now.

"You're not going to throw up," Dad told me. I tightened my hand on his arm.

I took a deep breath. "Don't let me fall, Daddy."

"Don't worry. I won't. Just keep your eyes on Jacob."

Before I could say anything else, the doors opened, and the music started playing. Dawn and Embry walked out, followed by the rest of them. When it came to Dad and my turn, I took a deep breath, and all my nerves went away. I was calm and happy, eager to get to the altar. I searched for Jacob, and grinned wide when I found him.

Jacob stood on the altar, looking as nervous as I had felt. But when he caught my eye, he seemed to be captivated in the same way that I was captivated by him. He looked me over, lovingly, and I couldn't help but do the same. I wanted to run down the aisle to him.

Dad walked us up there, keeping me steady and calm. When we got to the altar, he took my hand and placed it in Jacob's. I handed Dawn my bouquet, and then looked over at Jacob. I couldn't look away from his eyes.

_I love you,_ I mouthed.

_I love you, too,_ he mouthed back.

"Family, and friends," the priest said. "We are gathered here today in the presence of God to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. It is customary to ask the congregation to witness this union. I ask those gathered here, do you all promise to support this marriage in good and bad times, and help this couple down the road whenever possible?"

Everyone answered in a chorus of _yes._

"It is also customary to ask, is there anyone here who has a reason or can give cause for this union to not take place? If anyone objects, speak now or forever hold your peace."

The church was completely silent.

"Then let's begin."

And so it did. The ceremony wasn't all that long, and before I knew it, we were doing our vows.

I went first.

"I vow to help you see the beauty in life, to help you love and cherish and believe. I vow to say what needs to be said, to tell you the truth when it is needed. I vow to share the silence, or to fill it with words, when words are needed. I vow to love you for the rest of our lives together. I vow to live inside your heart and to always call it home, and I vow to always find my way back to your heart, should I ever lose my way. I vow to do everything in my power to make you happy, and make you feel loved."

I had to speak around a lump in my throat, and tears slipped down my cheeks. It was such an emotional moment for me. I cried even more when Jacob said his vows.

"I vow to always love you. I vow to cherish you, to believe in you, to follow you no matter where you go. I vow to be a faithful husband, to always be true to you. I vow to tell you what you need to hear, and to always tell you the truth when I do so. I vow to show you the beauty that you have always been, to live in your heart and help you find your way back to me, should you ever lose my way. I vow to love you for the rest of our lives together. I vow to do my very best to make you happy. I vow to do everything in my power, to make you feel my love."

I smiled at the line from the Adele cover song. I caressed his face with my hand, and he leaned into my palm slightly.

"Do you, Jacob Ephraim Black, take Serenity Diane White as your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward," the Minister said. "For better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

"I do." Jacob's eyes were locked on mine.

"And do you, Serenity Diane White, take Jacob Ephraim Black as your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death you part?"

"I do." I had never said anything else with so much certainty in my entire life.

Jacob and I had our rings on already.

"Then I now pronounce you, husband and wife. Jacob, you may kiss the bride."

We grinned like crazy, and the crowd went wild. Jacob put his hand to my face and kissed me. I kissed him back, putting my arms around his neck and holding on tightly. We parted, and looked to our families and friends. Hand in hand, we ran out of the church and stood in the front, everyone throwing rice at us along the way.

In front of the church was a large box with screens as the sides. Jacob and I grinned at each other and, with the crowd already out and surrounding us, lifted the lid of the box.

Hundreds of beautiful butterflies flew out, landing everywhere and flying everywhere. They were beautiful and multicolored, blues, purples, whites and reds. Everyone was still cheering, and I didn't think I could grin any larger. My grin was infectious, I knew, because everyone in the crowd was mirroring it.

Jacob lifted me unexpectedly, and swung me around in circle. It reminded me of the time when he had proposed to me and I had said yes. I am much happier now than I was then. Because this time, he was finally mine.

"Let's go party!" A voice—Paul's obviously—shouted. Everyone answered with a loud cheer, including me and Jacob. We all shuffled to our cars and drove over to the beach.

Yes, my reception was at the beach. What can I say? It's been the place of our parties for years, even before I was born. It was practically tradition. And you know what they say; you can't break tradition! It's… anti-traditional.

I drove with Jacob, holding one of his hands the entire way. We talked excitedly, about being married, about buying the house we'd had our eye on, and about the reception. He was looking forward to throwing the garter. Gee, I wonder why. Note my heavily dripping sarcasm there.

I was looking forward to throwing the bouquet. Everyone had plenty of opportunity to catch it. I didn't have a clue who would. You might be thinking, _it's probably going to be Dawn._ And you're probably right. It might be Dawn. But it might also be Rachel, or Kim, or Brianne, or Jennifer, or Addison, or, heck, even Renesmee has a shot.

"Are you nervous?" Jacob asked me. I had lapsed into a thoughtful silence. He had mistaken it for nerves.

I shook my head. "Not at all. Because I know you'll be there with me every step of the way." I leaned in to peck him on the lips. He smiled and returned his attention to the road.

"I feel so… great!" I said, stretching my arms above my head and splaying them on the roof of the car. Jacob laughed, and by the expression on his face, I knew he shared my feelings.

Fifteen minutes later, we arrived in the parking lot of the beach. Jacob killed the engine, and we sat there in comfortable silence for a few breaths. Then he reached over, took my face in his hands, and kissed me lovingly on the lips. The kiss stole my breath away, and I silently gasped as we broke apart, having forgotten to breath. Jacob saw my flustered expression, and chuckled.

I pressed my forehead to his, and just closed my eyes, reveling in the feeling of him. It felt so much better to have him near me again, like I was five pounds lighter. At least, that was how it seemed to me, anyway. I felt five pounds lighter, and I could breathe normally again, as if I couldn't when he had been away. It was a freeing feeling.

"I love you so much," I whispered, eyes closed. I heard his sharp intake of breath.

"I love you, too. So damn much, it hurts." He pressed his lips to mine once more, harder than before. I eagerly kissed him back.

"It won't be the last time tonight, or the rest of my life, that you'll hear that from me," I promised.

He grinned, and held out his hand to me. "Shall we?" I didn't miss the mischievous glint in his eye.

With the same glint in my own, I nodded, taking his hand. We climbed out of the car, where everyone else was already on the beach waiting for us. I held his hand tightly, feeling that same nervousness that I had felt when I'd stood in line with my Dad in the chapel. Jacob squeezed my hand reassuringly, and I felt a rush of heat shoot up my arm, and end with a squeeze in my stomach. Great deal of help _that_ did me, huh?

As we got closer, I could hear Rachel's and Paul's loud voices talking to the crowd of people waiting for us down by the beach. There was a slight breeze in the air, strong enough to make my dress flap against my legs a little bit. Their voices floated towards us in the wind—not that we needed the wind to hear it. I mean, come on, people—we are werewolves, remember? But not everyone is, I must remember.

"Is everyone excited?" Rachel's voice was saying. The crowd cheered.

"Isn't it great that they are finally married, together now, just like they've literally always been?" Another cheer.

While Rachel kept talking, Paul looked back over his shoulder. He caught sight of us with his heightened eyesight, and grinned. We waved, grinning back. He turned and tapped Rachel on the shoulder, whispering something in her ear. She nodded, and her next words confirmed that he'd told her we were coming.

"Okay everyone, the newlyweds are on their way over here, so get ready, cause there is going to be a lot of dancing, eating, laughing, and just plain old fun! Everyone please welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Black!" She turned, grinning, and waved her arm at us.

We came closer, waving and grinning at everyone, hand in hand. The scenery was beautiful. We were far to the side, near the cliffs, of the beach. There were beautiful tables with fancy looking favors and cards on them, and there was an abundance of space for dancing and mingling. Everyone was seated, and clapping and cheering as we made our way to everyone.

We greeted and thanked everyone as we passed, shaking hands or giving hugs. We made small talk, and gradually got caught up with most of our guests. People from school, our fellow students, were applying for college, or looking for jobs. We were in the same place, looking for good colleges that we could find closer to the rez, or not too far from Forks or something. It was going pretty well, all things considered.

Jacob and I are determined to go to college. We're married, so nothing inappropriate is going to happen, we're going to make sure. Dad didn't want me to skip college, and, to be honest, neither did I. College is a huge part of life, and I didn't want to miss out on it. Jacob said that he was going to get that education, even if he had to take online classes. That always makes me smile, because I know he's serious.

I noticed, as we greeted the guests, that the Cullens weren't here. I knew why, though. Because the sun was out and shining, so they were going to wait until it was down and low before coming out to have fun with everyone else. I didn't know what their excuse for their absence was going to be, but I would think it would have to be good to convince these people. If you haven't noticed, we're a tough crowd. Mental wink.

When Jacob and I had greeted everyone, we sat down at our own family table, which consisted of Rachel and Paul (Can't keep the imprints apart), Dawn and Embry (Embry was there for Jake, which made it convenient for his situation with Dawn), Billy (aka, my father-in-law), of course, my Dad, and Austin and Leah. Just family. Rebecca hadn't been able to make it to the reception on time, so she was sitting over with Brianne and the girls.

I saw Grandma Lila and Aunt Shelby get up from their table, and walk over to the food. They uncovered the platters, and the most familiar and delicious smell wafted over to our table. I sniffed deeply, yet discreetly. It smelled buttery, meaty, sweet, sour, and oh-so wonderful. Those smells bring back so many memories. And I knew just who had cooked those dishes.

"Grandma! You made my favorites?" I exclaimed.

Grandma Lila just grinned at me. I took that as answer.

"Your aunt helped me. These old bones can't do as much as they used to, you know," Grandma said matter-of-factly. I chuckled.

People started gathering in lines to get their food, and Jacob went to go get ours. I protested, but he wouldn't let me get up. With a frustrated sigh, I gave up, and just watched him with a smile on my face. It took me about ten seconds to realize that my Dad was watching me.

I jumped, caught off guard. "What?" I asked. Ugh, why must my voice sound so defensive?

"Nothing," Dad said.

Now, you all know me well enough to know that I don't give up that easily. So, I didn't. I decided to keep pestering him until he answered me efficiently.

"What? What are you looking at? Dad you know I'm not going to stop bothering you until you tell me why you were staring at me," I warned him. Fortunately for both of us, he took the hint.

"Fine," he relented. "It's just… seeing you look at Jacob that way"—he broke off as we heard Jacob laughing now, and we looked over to see him laughing at something Paul was doing. I sighed and smiled. His laugh was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever heard in my life. I know it's weird to think of a boy that way, beautiful, but there's no other way to describe it. He's just beautiful.

"Well," Dad continued, "it just reminded me that you're not my little girl anymore. You're all grown up. You're going to move out of the house, go to college, live with Jacob, and then you have an unrelated daughter who's really your niece! It's just so fast. You're married, and you already have a family of your own. You're not my little girl anymore."

Tears stung my eyes. I reached over the table and grabbed my Dad's hand. He gripped it tightly. He brought it to him mouth, and kissed it lightly.

"I'll always be your little girl, Daddy," I said in a small voice. I cursed myself for sounding so small, but it made sense in the mood of this conversation. Cause that's just me, always knowing what to do in such conversations. Not really.

"Hey, I'm back," Jacob said, sitting down and putting a plate down in front of me. I smiled at him in thanks.

"Welcome back," I said. I grabbed my fork, and started digging into the food. Dad had already gotten himself a plate, and started eating his, too. We were silent, just eating.

However, when it was confirmed that everyone had been done eating for fifteen minutes—twenty minutes after everyone got their food—Rachel decided it was time for the first dance.

"Everyone, if I could have your attention, please." Everyone stopped their conversations and looked over to Rachel.

"All right, well, it's time for the bride and groom to dance the first dance." People cheered. "So, if the bride and groom would come into the center of the table, please."

I grabbed Jacob's hand, and we stood up. We walked over to the center of the tables, which was conveniently shaped like a circle, and Jacob put one hand on the small of my back while I put one hand on his shoulder. Our other hands were clasped together.

I breathed a soft sigh to calm my jittery nerves. Dang, everything is making me nervous today! Could it just be that it's because today is my wedding day? Maybe.

Then the music started softly playing from the boom box on the food table. I recognized it instantly. "One and Only" by Adele.

Jacob and I started moving in the rhythm, just sort of swaying at first, but then we started moving step by step with it. A few weeks ago, Rachel had called us over to teach us how to dance correctly. I already knew how, but Jacob didn't know much besides moving in a circle. So Rachel and I taught him the waltz, and several other festive party dances. It was so much fun to watch him move around the room, shirtless and in nothing but cut-off shorts, enjoying himself while dancing with me or his sister to some music on my iPod. Salsa, mambo, and everything in between.

Right now, we were dancing a slow waltz. Jacob was looking at me, only me, with this look in his eyes, as if I were the only girl on the planet. Everything was drifting away from us as we stared into each other's eyes. I felt as though he could see deep into the depths of my soul. He smiled as if he liked what he saw in there, and I pressed our foreheads together. Several camera flashes went off, but I didn't care. All that I could think about was the love of my life, right here in my arms.

But then, of course, the song ended. We slowed to a stop, and everyone was clapping and cheering, some of them whistling, but I didn't care to notice who. All I could feel was Jacob's warm breath mingling with mine, his hair through my fingers, and then, his lips on mine. Even more cameras flashed, but like before, I didn't pay attention. That was all lost on me, now. Look at me; one kiss and I'm dead to the world. Oh how I've changed.

Or have I?

Eventually, we broke apart, after we finally came back to earth. It turned out that everyone was calling out to us, and we weren't responding. Huh. I certainly didn't hear anything. Seriously; not a single thing. I had no idea what they were talking about. Jacob and I laughed along with them, though. I was flustered, and I knew Jacob was, too, but I didn't care. And from the expression on Jacob's face, I knew he felt the same.

A few dances later, with all and any couples coming out on the dance floor, Rachel announced it was time for the Father-Daughter Dance. I grinned in thanks to her, and she grinned smugly back.

Dad came over to me, and the dance floor cleared out. Well, the makeshift dance-floor. I had noticed some time ago that there was nobody else out of our party on the beach. I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with the fact that it was Saturday. But you never know. Rachel might've gone to the extremes. And I say Rachel because I know Leah and everyone else wouldn't have bothered. At least, I think…

Dad took my hand and put his other on the small of my back. I put my hand on his shoulder, and then the music started playing. I grinned and giggled when I heard the song. "My Little Girl" by Tim McGraw. It was our song. The song he would sing to me, and play around the house when I was younger. It brought back so many memories. Hmm, today seems to be a day full of old and new memories.

We started dancing, an impromptu version of the waltz. Though I'm pretty sure we were just stepping and swaying in a circle. All the while, Dad mouthed the words while we danced.

"_Gotta hold on easy as I let you go._

_Gonna tell you how much I love you,_

_Though you think you already know._

_I remember I thought you looked like an angel_

_Wrapped in pink, so soft and warm._

_You've had me wrapped around your finger,_

_Since the day you were born._

_You're beautiful, baby, from the outside in._

_Chase your dreams, but always know the road_

_That'll lead you home again._

_Go on; take on this whole world,_

_But to me, you know you'll always be,_

_My little girl."_

Tears started to sting my eyes, and I looked away, blinking them back. Dad squeezed my hand softly, reassuringly.

"_When you were in trouble, that crooked little smile could,_

_Melt my heart of stone._

_Now look at you, I've turned around,_

_And you've almost grown._

_Sometimes you're asleep I whisper 'I love you' in the moonlight at your door._

_As I walk away, I hear you say, 'Daddy, love you more.'_

_You're beautiful, baby, from the outside in._

_Chase your dreams, but always know the road,_

_That'll lead you home again._

_Go on; take on this whole world,_

_But to me you know you'll always be_

_My little girl."_

By now, at least one tear slid down my cheek as I looked at my Dad. The man who had single-handedly taken care of two kids for more than ten years now, one of them a girl. The man who supported me, and encouraged me to be myself, to never let anyone get in my way or bring me down. The man who loved my mother enough to not remarry and set us up with a step-mother. I put my arms around his shoulders in a hug, and laid my head on his shoulder, crying even more. Dad slid his arms around me in a hug, and we kept dancing in the same slow circle.

The song already told so much about our life, but here was when it got even more real and personal.

"_Someday, some boy will come,_

_And ask me for your hand."_

Everyone, including us, looked over to Jacob. He just grinned shyly back. We all chuckled, me thickly through tears.

_But I won't say yes to him unless I know,_

_He's the half that makes you whole._

_He has a poet's soul, _

_And the heart of a man's man._

_I know he'll say that he's in love._

_But between you and me_

_He won't be good enough._

_You're beautiful, baby, from the outside in._

_Chase your dreams, but always know the road,_

_That'll lead you home again._

_Go on; take on this whole world._

_But to me, you know you'll always be_

_My little girl."_

The song ended. People cheered, clapped, you know, the whole routine. I didn't let go of my Dad, though. And he didn't let go of me. I could feel something warm and wet on my shoulder, and I knew a few tears had come out of him, too.

More cameras flashed. I wished they would just go away, but at the same time I didn't. I wanted memories of this day. Pictures and videos. Did I forget to mention that Jared was on video-duty? I guess I did. He was recording the whole thing. And from a quick glimpse at him out of the corner of my eye, I could see that he was doing a pretty good job. The camcorder was never off, always capturing every moment. Of course, he was able to get up and dance with Kim, should she want to, the shy thing. I didn't deny him that. He just had to put it on the stand. I asked to have the ceremony separate, though. I would make a tape out of that later.

I sniffed, and let go of my Dad. He did the same. We both took one look at each other and choked on our laughter. I wasn't sure what I looked like, but it must've been worse than him. He had red eyes, and puffiness around them, but that was it. I must've looked like a wet painting, make-up running down my face. I put my fingers to my eyes and pulled them back. Huh. No make-up. It must've been waterproof, or something.

"I love you, Daddy," I said. My voice cracked, hoarse and strained from the tears.

"I love you more, baby girl," Dad said. His voice was the same as mine. We smiled at each other. I hugged him tightly. More camera flashes.

"Okay," Rachel's voice said over the chatter of our guests. They quickly shut up. "Now we are free to dance and do whatever the hell we want. Swim, dance, drink—not alcohol, sorry. It's a wedding, not a bar party! Come on," she complained to the people who voiced their complaints. Mainly, the pack boys.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Rachel put up her hands in front of her as if to stop us—even though we hadn't moved. "We have to do the traditional events, of course! So if the bride and groom would kindly come up here." She waved Jacob and me over.

I sat in the chair that Paul brought over to me, and I had a feeling I knew what was coming.

"It's time to take the garter!"

Oh Lord, take me now.

"Jacob, put and keep your hands behind your back." Blushing, Jacob complied. He kneeled in front of me. His eyes were apologetic, but I could tell it was half-hearted. Not that I minded. It was fun to watch him be embarrassed. It would've been funnier, had I not been embarrassed as well.

"Now, Serenity, pick up your dress." I lifted my skirts up just enough to show my foot. "A little more." Now it was half of my calf. "Uh, a little more." Rachel was struggling not to laugh. I was struggling not to blush. I pulled it up to my knee. "Just a little bit more." People were laughing, and I was too. Jacob was turning red, almost impossible to see under his dark skin. I pulled it up to my thigh, where the garter rested. My leg was exposed, but only to Jacob and some of the people. I saw the camcorder in Jared's hand, pointed straight at us.

"Jacob," Rachel sang, "You know what to do."

Chuckling, Jacob leaned toward me. I giggled in embarrassment, looking away, flustered. I let out a shaky breath. Jacob's teeth touched my thigh, and I jumped, letting out a little whine. People laughed. I shuddered. Then I looked over at him. He'd disappeared under my dress, and I could feel his teeth skimming my skin as they dragged the garter off my leg. As soon as he got to the knee, he was free of my dress, and Rachel gave him the go-ahead to use his hands. Not that it made any difference, really. I still felt the shivers on my skin, running up and down my spine.

Jacob slipped the garter off my foot, and we simultaneously let out relieved gusts of air. We laughed at each other. Then I got off the chair, and Jacob climbed on it. Rachel called up all of the guys to go behind Jacob. They did, and I wheeled Billy over from his table.

"Okay," Jacob said, "ready, guys?" They all whooped. "One, two, three!" He threw the garter behind him.

It flew in the air…

And was snatched out of the air by Embry. Everyone laughed, and joked around, making jokes about what it meant that he'd caught it, and about how it had been on my leg. A fierce blush worked its way up to his ears.

"Okay, not it's time for the bride to throw the bouquet!" I let Jacob help me up onto the chair. Rachel tossed me bouquet, and I caught it out of the air.

"Oh yay, I caught it! We're done!" I said in a rush, making people laugh as I pretended to get off the chair. "Just playing," I winked.

The girls all gathered around me. I did a double take at how many girls there were. Dang, we far outnumbered the guys, that's for sure. I turned away from them.

"One"—I faked a throw behind me, and I knew without looking that they had gone for it—"Two"—another fake—"Three!" I threw it for real this time.

It sailed in the air…

And was snatched out of the air by Quil. Or, more accurately, _Claire,_ who sat on Quil's shoulders in a fluffy purple dress. Yeah, the color scheme for the wedding had been lavender and white. It looked pretty good, in my opinion.

The whole party laughed. Claire looked pretty proud of herself, screaming in delight on Quil's shoulders. Some of the girls, the girls from school and stuff, looked chagrined at the fact that a three year old had caught the bouquet and they hadn't. I laughed even harder.

Of course, when the laughter quieted, Quil was angry. There was no way he would allow Embry to put the garter on Claire, let alone let her wear it at all. So we came up with a solution. I would pick a name out of a hat—a girl, obviously. And who do you think I came up with?

That's right. Dawn Lori Chance. Embry's imprint. I almost laughed.

She came up to the chair and sat down in it. I could see her cheeks turning pink with embarrassment. Embry was much the same, his dark skin turning even darker. He knelt in front of Dawn, who wore a floor-length dress, and lifted the dress up to her thigh. She just blushed harder. Embry slipped the garter up her leg carefully, tenderly, as if she were something fragile that would break. Dawn stood up hurriedly, yanking her dress back down over leg, while I laughed and clapped.

I looked over to Jared, and saw that he was still videotaping everything. Good. I wanted every moment of this recorded.

So we all resumed dancing, and having fun. Jacob and I stood up on chairs, sort of dancing with our hands together while family and friends all danced in a line underneath our hand-bridge. We waited, dancing on the chairs, and then we brought our hands down, encasing someone in a two-way hug; in this case, Quil and Claire, who was still on Quil's shoulders. Jacob and I kissed her cheeks, and, while I kissed one off Quil's cheeks, Jacob didn't.

When that was over, and we were having single dances again, I danced with everyone and anyone. My Dad, Austin, Grandfather, Uncle Ian, even Dawn, Leah, and the Girls. It was so much fun, and I wasn't limited to dancing only with guys. Dawn and Leah and the Girls made me laugh while we danced, and I enjoyed myself.

I was dancing with an old friend from school, someone who'd once made Jacob jealous. You know who I'm talking about? Yep; Riley! I was so happy that he'd made it to the wedding, I wasn't even sure that Jennifer knew the Riley that I was talking about. But anyway, I was dancing with him, having fun, when all of a sudden I was twirled away from him and into another pair of arms. Disoriented, I danced with the new person, glancing behind me to see Riley's confused expression.

I turned to the new person, and laughed out loud when I saw that it was Jacob, his expression territorial as he looked at Riley. The expression melted into one of happiness when he heard me laugh, and he looked down at me and grinned.

"Hey, you," he murmured, kissing my forehead.

"Hey," I said as he twirled me. "What was that about?" I already knew the answer, but I wanted to hear him say it.

"I still don't like that guy," Jacob grumbled. He scowled at Riley's back as Riley danced with Addison.

"Aw, Jake, don't be jealous. I'm not into him like that. I'm married to you, you know," I joked.

"I know, I just… I don't like the way he looks at you."

"How does he look at me?" I was actually curious. I hadn't noticed anything about the way Riley looked at me. Nothing that I should think threatening, anyway.

"He looks at you like…. Like you're an ex-girlfriend, and he thinks he's got a chance to get back together with you," Jacob said in a rush. "I don't like it."

I rolled my eyes, but was still surprised. I really hadn't noticed that.

"Well, he's got zero chance," I assured Jacob. "None, zip, nada, nonexistent chance. Okay?"

I kissed his lips gently. "Okay," he murmured.

We were silent for a few breaths. "So who's that kid the pack keep talking about? The baby girl that Rachel was holding during the ceremony."

Uh-oh. I forgot to tell him earlier! Dammit, and I had a perfectly good chance to tell him when we were on our way over here in the car! I'm so stupid!

"Uh…." I wasn't sure at all how to tell him. "She's my daughter… well, we're related by blood for sure," I said at the look on his face. It was not a look that put me at ease. "She's related to me by blood as my niece. But Grace, Dawn's older sister, you remember her, gave her to me to raise as my own kid. So, I said I would. She wouldn't have survived the way she was living with Grace, Jacob. I had to do it. I wasn't going to let my niece live like that. So… she's ours."

Jacob was quiet, absorbing the information. He kept his eyes glued to the floor, not looking at me.

"Jacob?" No answer. "Baby, please, say something." Nothing. I sighed.

Then he looked up. His eyes showed me that he had accepted what I'd said, that he would follow me in every choice that I made about Milagros. "What's her name?" he asked quietly.

I smiled. "Her name is Milagros."

"Milagros," it sounded like he was testing the way her name fell off his tongue. "Miracles?"

I nodded. "Not bad for someone who took French in high school," I teased.

He puffed out his chest in mock pride. "Well, you know, I'm just that awesome," he said, mock smugness in his voice. I laughed.

"Yeah, right," I said sarcastically. Then I softened my voice. "You're awesome enough for me," I told him firmly, but lovingly. I leaned up as he leaned down, to kiss him.

"Her name is a mouthful, though. I think we should call her… Millie, for short." He leaned down to kiss me again.

Millie… hmm, that could grow on me. But for now, I would call her Milagros.

"So, you don't mind? You're okay with Milagros? With being an uncle?" I asked when we broke apart. My voice was anxious.

Jacob shrugged. "I'm okay with it if you are."

That made me frown. I wanted to hear his own opinion. "No, I want to know if _you_ are okay with it."

Jacob seemed to give it more thought. I was glad he got what I was saying. Finally, he said, "I guess I'm a little nervous. Mostly because now you and I won't just be babysitting Emily and Sam's kid, but we'll be _raising_ a baby girl whose mother couldn't sustain her. I'm a little nervous that we won't be able to do it. I mean, we're going to college, and we won't always be able to find someone who will babysit for us. It's just a lot to take in, you know?" He looked at me with anxious eyes.

"I know," I sighed. "But, I have a feeling in my gut that says we'll make it through. We can do it. I mean, come on. We've been through worse, and we sure as hell have done harder. This can't be too hard. Besides, I know how to take care of kids. It's instinctual. How do you think I took care of Renesmee when she was little?" I smiled at him. "We can do this," I repeated, more firmly this time.

Jacob nodded, determination shining in place of the anxiety that had once been there.

Just then, Rachel came dancing up to us, Paul dancing with her. She was in his arms, her own arms crossed over her stomach, hands in Paul's hands.

"It's time for cake!" she said over the music. Jacob and I looked at each other. At the same time, we nodded toward the food table, where our magically beautiful cake stood in all its frosting glory. We twirled over to it, keeping in beat to the music. It was actually a song that required the steps to the tango, which we used while we cut through the crowd to the table.

Rachel turned off the music, announcing that it was time for cake. Jacob and I both cut off a piece, and fed each other a bite. The cake was sweet, this particular piece chocolate, as the other layers were all different. There were chocolate, vanilla, and red velvet cake layers.

I grinned deviously around my piece of cake. There was still some frosting left on the fork I was holding, and as Jacob caught on to what I was going to do, he was too late. I smeared the frosting all over his cheeks. Everyone laughed, even Jacob, who proceeded to swallow his cake, and nuzzle me, effectively smearing frosting on my mouth, and my cheeks. I yelped playfully, still laughing.

Then a chant began to rise from the crowd. I easily picked it up with my heightened senses. "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

I looked over at Jacob, eyebrows raised. I didn't even have to ask. His mouth was on mine the second I turned around. How's that for love-connection, eh?

Then, we—oh, well you know. Danced some more. Ate some more. Laughed some more. Had lots more fun.

There was one time when I was dancing with Sam and Emily, who refused to be apart in case Emily suddenly went into labor—cause you know how unpredictable pregnancies can be—I saw Jacob go up to Rachel, who was apparently the DJ for the wedding, in control of the radio, and say something in her ear. She had grinned large and big, and her eyes connected with mine. Just as quickly they had looked away, but not before I caught the excitement in her eyes. They were planning something, those two. And I wanted to know what.

I didn't have to wait long. Throughout the party, everyone had danced to a certain method. We danced with one partner, and then cut in with another person that we wanted to dance with. I don't know how many times I cut in to dance with people, or how many people had cut in to dance with me, but it sure as hell was fun. I was dancing with Kim, who had cut in between Seth and me, when I was snagged from behind by Quil. Little Claire was still on his shoulders, hands buried in his hair, hanging on tight for dear life. Quil held me like that, one arm around my waist, the other behind his head, on Claire's back to keep her from falling.

He spun me around, and I heard him say, "No need to pay me back for this one, sweetheart," and he was gone.

And I was in another pair of familiar arms. I grinned up at Jacob, who grinned down at me. We were in the center of the 'dance floor.' I wasn't sure how I knew. Maybe it was the fact that the music had stopped playing, or that all eyes were on us, or that the entire beach was quiet, but for the sound of crashing waves by the shore? Hmmm, decisions, decisions…

Then, abruptly, another song started playing. It was a very dance-y song, if you know what I mean. A song that made you want to _move,_ to really show off what you knew. And I had a feeling that's exactly what everyone was going to do; heck I knew _I _was. I recognized the singer's voice. Michael Buble, "Save the Last Dance for Me"

"_You can dance_

_Every dance with the guy, who gives you the eye,_

_Let him hold you tight._

_You can smile_

_Every smile for the man, who held your hand_

_Beneath the pale moonlight._

_But don't forget who's taking you home,_

_And in whose arms you're gonna be._

_So darling, save the last dance for me."_

Jacob and I started moving the second the song went on. I took his hand, let him pull me close, and started moving my feet in the sultry steps. Thank God that Leah and Dawn had clipped up my train. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to dance to this song at all. And that would've definitely put me in a bad mood. Jacob matched me, step for step, and pace. His hands were steady, footsteps sure and confident. It thrilled me that I could dance as passionately as I wanted to and he would match me, always knowing what I would do next and actually following along.

"_Oh, I know_

_That the music's fine,_

_Like sparklin' wine;_

_Go and have your fun"—_

Jacob held me in a backwards embrace, my arms crossed over my stomach. He spun me out, and before I could make sense of what was happening, I was in Edward's arms. I was surprised. When had he come out here? The sun was low enough that he wouldn't be caught in it, though it was still pretty early. But Edward matched me step for step while we continued dancing to the music.

"_Laugh and sing,_

_But while we're apart,_

_Don't give your heart _

_To anyone"—_

Edward spun me out, like Jacob did, to someone else, and I just went with it, continuing my complicated dance steps. I was spun out and into other people's arms several times, it was a wonder I wasn't dizzy yet. I couldn't even keep track of who I was dancing with. Everyone that I danced with playfully pretended they were going to spin me to Jacob, but someone always stepped in the way. I went with it, laughing and having fun.

"_But don't forget who's taking you home"—_

I caught a glimpse of Jacob, thanks to my partner.

"_And in whose arms you're gonna be._

_So darling, save the last dance for me._

_Baby don't you know I love you so?_

_Can't you feel it when we touch?"—_

My current dance-partner spun me out, and I saw Jacob coming over to me. Our hands grazed each other, and I felt it like electricity running through my veins, but before I could grab his hand, someone came in between us, and snatched me away, and I watched as another girl, one of the imprints came and spun away with Jacob.

"_I will never never let you go;_

_Oh, I love you oh-so much."—_

Jacob mouthed the words to me; _I love you. _I mouthed them back, right before I was spun into the opposite direction. While it was frustrating, it was definitely fun. I was enjoying all the movement, and the fact that I was showing off my moves.

"_You can dance_

_Go and carry on, _

_Till the night is gone, _

_And it's time to go."—_

I was passed on to Dawn, who couldn't even hold my attention for a second. She knew how to dance just as well as I did, and I was really showing it off then. I lead the way in sultry steps, Dawn matching me, and but I was watching Jacob. He held my gaze, almost seeming to challenge me to get over to him. Challenge accepted.

"_If he asks, _

_If you're all alone,_

_Can he walk you home?_

_You must tell him no."—_

I was spun into Quil, and in time with the song's words, he nodded his head in the direction off the beach. I smirked at him and wagged my index finger _no_ at him, all in time with the words.

"_Cause don't forget who's taking you home,_

_And in whose arms you're gonna be._

_Save the last dance for me."—_

I was allowed another glimpse at Jacob, who was directly across the dance floor from me. Then I was spun into another pair of arms.

"_Oh, I know_

_That the music's fine,_

_Like sparklin' wine,_

_Go and have your fun."—_

I was rapidly being spun into other arms more frequently now. I must've passed through seven or nine more people in the last thirty seconds.

"_Laugh and sing, _

_But while we're apart,_

_Don't give your heart_

_To anyone."—_

I was getting closer now, closer to Jacob. I kept my eyes on his while I danced.

"_So don't forget who's taking you home,_

_Or in whose arms you're gonna be. _

_Darling, save the last dance for me._

_So don't forget who's taking you home,_

_Or in whose arms you're gonna be._

_So darling, save the last dance for me."—_

So close, so close; just a few more passes…

"_Oh, baby won't you save_

_The last dance_

_For me._

_Oh, you make a promise_

_That you'll save_

_The last dance _

_For me."—_

Literally one more person to dance with, and then I'd be with Jacob.

"_Save the last dance;"—_

I was spun out, and then I would be caught in Jacob's arms, dancing with him for the last few seconds of the song.

"_The very last dance_

_For me."_

Air rushed past me, and then I was in front of Jacob. We met when the music stopped, our hands clasped together in the air, level with our shoulders. Our shoulders heaved up and down, both of us breathing hard after so much dancing. I had a grin on my face, though, and I saw a grin on Jacob's face too.

It dawned on me then, that people were clapping and cheering, that time was passing on around us, not frozen the way it felt. Jacob slipped his arms around me in a backwards embrace, holding me from behind. I put my hands over his, which were in front of my stomach, clasped.

"All right, everyone, calm down now! We don't want the cops on our tails, do we?" Rachel shouted. Everyone chuckled, but she looked serious. "Now, the party has come to an end, and this was the last dance, as the song said. Now, if anyone has anything they want to say to the groom or the bride now is the time to come up and say it."

For a few seconds there was complete silence. In those few moments, the smile that had been on my face slipped off. Surely someone had something to say. Anything at all, congratulations; anything. My heart began to sink. Not even my own family members, Dad and Austin, had moved to say anything.

Then, all of a sudden, everyone screamed as loud as they could, "_**WE LOVE YOU!**_" And then, "_**CONGRATULATIONS!**_"

My smile came back up, bigger than before. "Thank you!" Jacob and I yelled back. We sounded so quiet compared to them.

"Oh, look! Here come's your ride to the airport." Rachel stressed out the word airport. She knew that I was going to teleport us to our honeymoon hotel. In Hawaii, go figure. Saving money, and time, seeing as it was suddenly a lot later than I had originally thought.

But she was right, though. A car, sleek and black was driving toward us in the sand. Huh. That could get them a ticket. Just saying. But anyway, Paul stepped out of the car, and threw the keys to Jacob, who caught them with a grateful grin.

"The car is yours," a voice said from the crowd. My eyes searched through the people until I saw the owner—Carlisle Cullen. My eyes widened. He bought us a _car? Holy crap._

"Uh—thank you!" I stammered. A car—perfect! We could definitely use another car, especially if Jacob and I end up having to go to different colleges.

"Your ride," Paul said, and he bowed and waved toward the car. Jacob and I walked over to it, looking at it. "Just Married" was written on the back window in black, fancy lettering. But what caught my attention was the little tattoo on the side of the car near the rear tire on the right side; it was the same symbol that was on the napkins, the plates, and the cups. A white wolf outline, and a russet brown wolf outline, the brown wolf above the white one, was tattooed on the car. It was beautiful, something I had doodled on a napkin once on a date with Jacob. I hadn't known that they had used it until today when I saw it. I had named it _Soulmates. _Ironic, eh?

I gave a silent squeal in my head. Jacob was grinning from ear to ear. Then we realized that it was time for us to go. To Hawaii. On our honeymoon.

Alone.

I shrugged aside my nerves, and went over to Paul and Rachel, hugging them both and thanking them for everything.

"Thanks so much you two," I said as I hugged Rachel. Then Paul picked me up in a bear hug that I felt slightly suffocating. It reminded me of Austin's hugs, though, so it wasn't that bad.

I turned to the crowd. They waited expectantly. I took a deep breath, and then began to wade my way into the sea of people, hugging and thanking them on the way. I hugged the Cullens, the Girls, my Grandfather and Grandma Lila, my aunts and uncles, my friends from school, the imprints, the pack, and lastly, my brother and my father.

"Bye, Austin," I said, as he crushed me to him. The slight ache in my arms when he let me go was endearing, rather than painful. Then I turned to Dad.

"Bye, Daddy, be careful, okay?" My voice was thick with tears. I cleared my throat as quietly as I could, trying to hide them.

Dad wasn't even trying to hide his. "I will," he promised, "as long as _you_ promise that you'll be careful. Deal?"

I hugged him harder. "Deal," I whispered. We pulled apart.

Then I turned to Dawn. "Bye, DC," I said to her as we hugged.

"Be safe, Renity," she muttered, trying to sound teasing. Not that she quite managed it. Her voice was thick with tears, just like mine was. We pulled apart, and she handed me Milagros. I took her in my arms.

"Hey, baby," I told her in a teary chipper voice. "Aunty Dawn's gonna take care of you while I'm gone. I won't be gone too long, don't worry. I love you, Milagros. I'll be back soon." I kissed her forehead softly, and she gurgled, little arms flailing in excitement. I grinned at her tearfully.

I walked over to Jacob, who had just finished saying his goodbyes. I laced my fingers through his, and we walked over to the car. He opened the door and held it open for me. I smiled at him, and then climbed in, tucking my dress inside behind me.

Jacob came around to the drivers' side and put the key in the ignition. We grinned as we heard the soft, powerful purr of the car's engine—this thing could go _fast._ I could feel it in the vibrations of the seat under my hands. Adrenaline pumped in my veins.

As if I needed anymore.

I slid the automatic windows down, and waved my hand out the window to my family and friends. They all waved back, grinning at us. Everywhere I looked it looked like things were glowing, like they had a halo of light surrounding them. The entire mass of people had this sort of aura around it, a pale light that surrounded the outline of them.

Either I was drunk—which I knew I wasn't because I hadn't had a drop of alcohol; hello! Underage minor here!—or I was high on all the conflicting emotions.

Hmm, I wonder which…

Jacob put the car in drive—it was automatic, thank goodness—and turned away from the crowd. He kept driving, and as soon as he hit the road, he drove faster. We were quite for a few moments. Then I turned to him.

"You know what's weird?" I asked him.

"Paul being so happy?" Jacob guessed. I smacked his arms softly.

"Besides that," I chided him.

"Uh—no, what?"

"There wasn't any drama. Shouldn't there be at least a little drama at a wedding? I mean, I'm glad there wasn't, but I don't know. I have a feeling there might be some along the road. But I could just be paranoid," I added. I waved an invisible thought away with my hand. I started to turn to look out the window.

But a glance at the digital clock on the dashboard of the car told me that it was already midnight.

"Damn," I exclaimed, "It's already midnight! I've got to teleport us now, or else we won't make it." I told Jacob to drive to our house, the house that we were getting ready to buy.

It secretly thrilled me to be able to say that Jacob and I owned a house of our own. We didn't live with our parents anymore, and we had privacy. It would no longer be scandalous for Jacob to sleep beside me in my bed at night. And he wouldn't have to climb in through the window to get into the room. I would think he ought to be glad about that. My poor tree was getting a little run down.

The plan was for us to drop the car off at the house, and then I would teleport us to Hawaii, in the airport, and then we would drive—or I would teleport us—to the hotel and check in. So as we did that, we would be ready to do as we pleased. We had two weeks after all.

Jacob pulled up in the driveway of our house, cutting off the engine. We climbed out, and I had this sudden urge to look in the trunk. I said as much to Jacob, and we came around the back of the car to open the trunk.

"Oh!" I exclaimed as we saw what was inside. Two suitcases lay inside, waiting for us. I pulled one out, and Jacob did the same with the other. Then I started to walk to the door of our house to come inside.

The scenery was beautiful. The night sky was undisturbed, stars shining brightly, so brightly you couldn't tell if they were stars or planes. Our nearest neighbor was about half a mile away. We had so much space behind the house. It was all land that came with the house. A circle pen was in one place, and it looked like a pen to keep horses in. So much to love about this house. I wanted to buy it so bad, to be able to come to it after a hard day at work, or school, and call it home. I wanted that chance. The price was high, but after all I'd saved, I had enough for college tuitions.

But not enough to buy my house with all of it, college tuitions be darned.

It really makes me sad sometimes.

I climbed up the porch steps, and reached out to grab the doorknob. But all of a sudden, I felt a strong prickling sensation all over my back and shoulders. My shoulders rose, and I let out a low growl. I stiffened, my instincts screaming for me to look for danger. I turned, setting the suitcase down on the floor.

Silently, I leaped off the porch, landing in a crouch on the concrete. Jacob was standing there, dumbfounded, watching me in confusion. I brought an index finger to my lips, signaling him to be quiet. His whole demeanor changed. He was suddenly alert, listening hard to everything, eyes scanning the surrounding area, which consisted of the forest across the road from the house. It was silent.

There, a sound.

The snap of a twig under a light foot. How I could tell that the person was light, I have no idea.

My forearm was at the offender's throat before I could blink.

The person coughed, their body cold and hard as stone. I was pinning them underneath me with my body, keeping them decapitated. I was seeing red, my instincts telling me to—no, screaming for me to—eliminate the threat. But I knew that this was no threat. No, this was a moron.

"Emmett I-wish-you-had-a-longer-name Cullen!" I cried indignantly. "What the hell do you think you're doing, sneaking up on me like that? I could've hurt you! Or worse!"

I let him up, offering my hand to him. He didn't take it, standing up and glaring at me, rubbing his throat. I knew he wasn't hurt. If anything, his pride was the only thing I had wounded. But what do you expect from an arrogant, annoying, self-assured male vampire?

Exactly.

We were in the forest, and I heard Jacob rustle to a stop behind me, growling at Emmett. Eight other figures came out of the trees, one of them catching my attention. A small figure, the one that I knew had stepped on the twig.

"You've gotta watch where you step if you don't want to scare away game, little one," I said to Renesmee. She looked down, embarrassed.

"What are you talking about?" Emmett scoffed. "She didn't scare _you _away."

"Exactly. Because I knew it was her. What are you guys doing here, anyway?"

"We're here to give you your wedding gift," Alice answered. She was as pixie-like as ever, clinging to Jasper's arm.

This confused me. "Wasn't that the car?"

"No, the car was just a little something we owed you from some time before. For helping us with the Volturi and Renesmee," Bella said, sounding sincere.

"Your _real_ present is this." Alice led us out of the woods, stopping in front of the porch of our house. My breathing hitched, my heart stopping cold. Like, literally stopping; as in, one beat passed, and we're all left waiting for the next one that doesn't come. Neither does my breath. I'm frozen.

"Serenity?" Jacob's hands grip my shoulders. Two seconds later, my next heartbeat comes, and another one after that and it's beating again. My breath comes out in a whoosh. They all sigh in relief. But I'm still wide-eyed, breathing hitching in disbelief. I don't know if I want to believe what Alice might be implying. I just couldn't hide the disappointment if it wasn't what I thought.

"What, Alice?" Jacob asked. He didn't catch it, not the way I had. But I still wasn't sure.

"This," she said again, gesturing to the house. "The house. Well, your house, now."

That did it. My knees buckled, and I fell backwards into Jacob. He barely caught me in time. My breath was knocked out of me in a rush, and I struggled to suck it back in. Oh my God. _Oh my God_. They did it. They really did that for us.

They bought us our house. They bought us _our house._

"Oh my God," I gasped. "You guys bought us our house?"

Alice nodded, looking pleased and proud of herself. "Just for you. And you don't even have to worry about paying rent. It's all covered." She smiled angelically at us.

"Thank you," I managed to choke out. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I can't thank you enough!"

I literally tackled Alice to the ground. I got up off of her and helped her up, then proceeded to hug her again. Then I moved onto Jasper, and Edward, and Bella, and Esme, Carlisle, Rosalie and Emmett. Then I hugged Renesmee. Lastly, I hugged and smooched Jacob, laughing and crying tears of joy. It sounds cheesy and movie-like when you put it that way, but it's true.

"Wow," I heard Emmett mutter, "It's a good thing she didn't thank us _that _way."

I reached over and hit him upside the head, just as Rosalie elbowed him in the stomach. He bent over, groaning in pain.

"Five dollars says that didn't even hurt," I scoffed. Emmett stood up and reached into his coat pocket for something. He pulled out his wallet and handed me a five dollar bill. I pocketed it in my dress front.

What? It'll stay there, and it's not like I have pockets on my wedding gown. Nobody minded, anyway.

I wiped my face and felt Jacob's arms wrap themselves around me from behind, grinning happily.

"Now you have a place to come back to for sure that you can call your own. I heard you really liked it, and somehow I knew you were considering not going to college to buy this house," Edward said.

"I was not considering it!" I cried indignantly. "I was just… evaluating if I would have enough money to buy the house and the land if I didn't go to college and pay the tuitions. I wouldn't have not gone to college, not really. I want to go. And I have enough money for it, so I'm gonna use it.

"Still, I cannot thank you enough for this. I'll try, though. I definitely will," I promised them.

Carlisle shook his head. "No, please, this was a gift. And besides, we can't thank you enough for helping us care for and protect Renesmee last year. Consider this… repayment. A car and a house. This is literally the least we could do."

I shook my head mutely, sighing happily.

"Oh! What are you still doing here? You have to go to Hawaii for your honeymoon!" Rosalie suddenly exclaimed. "And here we are, keeping you from it! Go, go, shoo! You can check everything out later when you get back."

"Bye," the rest of them said in unison.

"Bye," Jacob and I repeated, turning around so that I could teleport us out.

"Okay, just take my hand and hold your breath. It'll get knocked out of you, and that's way better than doing damage to your lungs by not having anything in them at all," I informed him. "I'll do the rest."

I closed my eyes, and envisioned Hawaii. Well, more specifically, I envisioned our hotel. I envisioned a car coming up to the hotel, nobody in it. I envisioned the driver being totally cool with dropping us off even though he hadn't picked us up. He wouldn't question or bat an eye about it.

Keeping the vision in my mind, I started the silent chant in my head. It was only one word, but it had a lot of syllables, so it took some time. I got through it and, with my luggage in my hand, teleported us in the car.

For a few moments, I felt nothing. I felt like I was drifting weightlessly in space. Then, things started to form underneath me. Cushions on a seat. A seatbelt strapped over my chest. And Jacob's hand in mine as I opened my eyes.

It was still dark. That much I could tell as everything started to make sense again. It must've been nine o'clock. It had been midnight in La Push, and Hawaii is three hours behind from us. The driver looked in his rearview mirror. He caught sight of us.

"Aloha!" he greeted us.

"Aloha," I said back with a smile. "Could you take us to the next hotel, please?"

"Oh, of course! They get a lot of newlyweds going there. Are you here for your honeymoon?"

"Yes, we are, thank you," I said, smiling politely.

The driver pulled up at the hotel. It wasn't so much a hotel as a resort. It had everything; pool for the individual rooms, public pools, hot tubs—everything. It was perfect for a honeymoon. I liked the fact that, while this hotel might be busy and have a lot of people, it was more secluded, closer to nature.

Jacob and I climbed out of the car, paying the driver on the way out. People were still outside, even though it was late, and they stared at me. I wasn't sure why at first, but then I remembered I was still wearing my wedding dress and smiled. I grabbed my luggage out of the trunk and walked hand in hand with Jacob to the front desk. We checked in, and walked into the elevator, going up to the fifth floor.

We were silent on the way up. I think it was just nerves at what was going to happen. Cause I sure as hell was. I didn't even _know_ what was going to happen! I took a deep breath. Whatever happened, I would go to sleep just as in love with Jake as I could ever be. This was our day.

The thought put a smile on my face.

The elevator doors slid open, and I stepped out, Jacob following out a little slower than me. I looked at him over my shoulder, smiling sweetly. I waved my free hand to him, gesturing for him to hurry up. "Come on," I said, turning my head to watch where I was going.

I turned right three times at three passages, each one the same as the last, from the velvet red carpets, right down to the pictures on the walls. I finally reached out suite—the Honeymoon Suite, how 'bout that?

I slid the card in the little machine box to unlock the door. I stepped inside, flipping on the lights. Luxurious carpets and moderations were very up-to-date. I could see very sophisticated furniture, and a sleek kitchen to the left or the 'living room.' A flat-screen TV was hung up to the wall, facing the sophisticated sofa. A coffee table sat in front of it. A sliding glass door lead to a balcony, and when I stepped out on that balcony, I saw a hot tub right next door, where the bedroom was. I went back inside the room, closing the glass door.

I walked into the master bedroom and was amazed. Light silk sheets covered the bed, and matching furniture, while sparse, decorated the room very well. There was a closet and a bathroom straight across the room. Facing the bed was another sliding glass door, this one leading to the hot tub, with more space around it, making it much bigger than the balcony.

I dropped my suitcase on the floor and did what any smart person would do:

I ran and jumped on the bed.

I landed on my back, grinning and sighing blissfully at the soft silky feel of the silk sheets. I ran my arms over the sheets, wanting to feel as much of it on my skin as possible. It was like… dry water. That water feeling, but without the wetness. I heard an amused chuckle and propped myself up on the plush pillows, opening my eyes. I hadn't even known I had closed them. Jacob was leaning against the doorjamb, watching me with loving eyes.

"You know you're dying to do the same thing," I teased. "Come on; this bed is big enough for the two of us. You know you want to." It actually was pretty big. A heck of a lot bigger than my bed, that's for sure.

Jacob shook his head. He didn't seem to be in a playful mood, like I was. I suddenly sobered up though. My feet were exposed, still in my heels, not hiding under my dress. Jacob came over to the bed, and sat down, pulling my feet in his lap. He was silent, and I didn't dare make a sound, the silence thick in the room, but not suffocating. He started unbuckling the shoe of my left foot. He slipped the shoe off, and then started on my other shoe.

That shoe came off too, and I looked up at Jacob. I started subtly as I realized that he had been staring at me the whole time. Romantic, right?

Whatever you say.

Keeping his eyes on mine, he lifted my right foot and pressed a kiss to my aching ankle. I grinned at him. "Ewww," I said, wrinkling my nose and giggling at the same time.

Jacob chuckled with me. "Your feet must be sore from all that dancing," he remarked.

I shrugged. "It was worth it, though," I told him. "I would very much like to get out of this dress, so if you don't mind, darling," I said in a British accent. I jerked my thumb behind me, pointing to the buttons and the zipper on the dress.

"Oh, yeah, sure," Jacob stood up, and helped me off the bed. I stood still while he worked on the buttons and zipper, feeling his warm hand on my shoulder as he straightened me so that he could unzip it easier. I held the dress to me, and then waddled over to the closet to take it off. Right then, I realized that I hadn't brought any pajamas with me.

I bit my lip, considering whether I wanted to go out there in nothing but my underwear, or just wait until he comes and asks what my problem is. Well, on the one hand, a bra and panties are basically the same thing as a bikini, and cover a heck of a lot more. But on the other hand, I didn't want to go out there all exposed.

Whoa, wait a minute. Since when will Jacob care about how I look? He loves me for _me_, not my body. I shouldn't care about that, anyway. So, I marched out there, sending him an apologetic look when he froze, catching sight of me.

"Forgot my clothes," I told him, then grabbed my pajamas from my suitcase. Then I walked back to the closet and changed into them. I couldn't help but notice how his eyes had skimmed over me, not slowly. I walked out of there, freezing myself when I saw that he hand abandoned his shirt and pants for his boxers—only his boxers.

"You can't go a full day without going shirtless, can you?" I said, leaning against the glass door and looking him over. He came over and joined me.

"I bet you can't do it," he teased. My inner competitor recognized the challenge.

"Sure I can," I said, poking him in the ribs. Well, the abs.

"I'd like to see you try," Jacob joked. "You just can't admit that you can't."

In answer, I grabbed the hem of my shirt and tugged the shirt up and over my head, exposing my torso.

"Challenge accepted," I said, leaning in close to him. Our faces were inches apart. I didn't miss the fact that he had stared. I could forgive him for that, though. I had stared, too, after all. I leaned back and yawned, stretching my arms up over my head.

"I'm tired," I said, arms still over my head. Jake poked my stomach, and I yelped, ticklish. "Don't do that," I warned.

Too late.

He scooped me up in his arms and carried me over to the bed. He laid me down and climbed on top of me, straddling my waist. Jacob tickled me relentlessly, ruthlessly, until I had tears coming out of my eyes. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get him to stop this torture.

"Mercy, mercy!" I laughed, slapping his hands away feebly. He listened this time, laughing with me. I was breathing hard, my chest rising and falling rapidly. When I caught my breath, Jacob leaned down and kissed me passionately, running his fingers through my hair. I kissed him back just as eagerly, hands in his hair to tug him closer. Our kisses grew frenzied, more passionate, and Jacob's hands skimmed down my arms, causing shivers to go up my spine.

He pulled away suddenly, his face hovering just inches above mine. Our breath mingled, and I was breathing hard again.

"If I hurt you…" he began. But I cut him off.

"You won't hurt me," I said breathlessly.

"If I do, promise you'll tell me, okay?"

"I promise," I said. I put my hands on his face and gazed into his eyes lovingly. "I trust you with everything I have, Jake. I trust you."

He exhaled, and I smiled at him encouragingly. "I love you," I whispered. He pressed his lips to my forehead, both my cheeks, and then, finally, my lips. _I love you, too,_ his kisses said.

Now, I'm not going into details of what happened next. You guys are all capable people who are capable of knowing what happens next. Let's just say that our kisses turned into something a little…

More.

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><p><strong>AN: Soo, what do you think? Holy crap, 21,154 words! I've outdone myself. Please, please review! I know it'll take you a while to read this, but give it a chance. I probably should've said this in the greeting. But in all honesty, it wasn't supposed to be **_**this **_**long. And Milagros was also an unexpected surprise, too. I hope you liked. But please, take the time to leave a review. They make me write faster, and let me know that at least someone is reading this. **

**Thanks again to the people—ahem, **_**person**_** (how sad is that?)—who reviewed. I love you!**

**I don't own Twilight. I only own Serenity, her family and friends, and the plot. I don't own any of the songs mentioned in the chapter. **

**Also, I have a policy. This policy states that if I get two reviews, I will update. At least two reviews. Last chapter, I only got one. But I still updated, because I refuse to give up on this story. So, I am going to keep doing that. If I get only one review, fine, two, great. I'll update even if I don't get **_**any**_** reviews. I'm sticking true to this story. Will you?**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Ciao!**

**~Alee V.**


	7. Meka on the Honeymoon & Sam Jr at Home

'**Ello, everyone, I'm back with a new chapter. Thanks to everyone who reviewed on the last chapter, I love you guys! You're awesome! So, I bring to you chapter… nine? Eight? I think it's eight. Nope; it's seven. So, read on!**

**Please review! OH, AND PLEASE READ THE NOTE AT THE BOTTOM! I HAVE SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO TELL YA! ;)**

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><p>The first thing that breached the sleepy, blissful haze of my mind was warmth. Warmth from the skylight above the bed, warmth from the silk sheets of the bed, and warmth from the arm slung around my waist. I opened my eyes slowly, blinking in the bright sunlight. I took in my surroundings.<p>

The hotel room was bright and seemed to be glowing with a sort of soft glow of light like a halo. Although, that might've been me. I was in bliss, completely happy as I rolled over a little into the warmth of my husband beside me.

_Husband. _That still seemed so weird to say, let alone think. It was something I would happily get used to in no time, I was sure. I took a deep breath, curling up into the arms of Jacob. He curled them tighter around me, still asleep, and placed a sleepy kiss on the crook of my neck. I smiled. His light snore returned, and I ran my hands softly over his arms. His smooth skin was scorching hot underneath my palms. The heat from his chest against my bare back made a shiver run up my spine.

I was feeling kind of sticky with sweat from staying under the sun for so long, so I decided to go take a bath. After all, I can't exactly take a shower with my tail…. I tried to be quiet starting up the water, but I was pretty sure I woke Jacob up within the first five minutes. I slid in the water carefully, as quietly as I could. My legs got heavy, and then suddenly merged together into one; my tail. My halter-top was present, too, and I slid into the water some more until it was all the way up to my neck. My tail hung over the opposite edge of the tub. I closed my eyes.

And then opened them as I heard the door open behind me. I sat up straighter in the tub, twisting my torso to look behind me. Jacob stood in the door way, head down, wearing his boxers and no shirt. A flutter went through my stomach.

"Is it safe to look?" he asked, amusement in his voice.

"Good morning to you, too," I quipped, grinning. "Yeah; it's not like you're gonna walk in on anything. Anything you haven't seen, either," I added, smirking as his cheeks reddened slightly. I turned over completely, my tail-end in the air, arms crossed on the edge of the tub with my chin resting on them.

Jacob grinned at me. He came over and sat in front of me on a stool that had been sitting in front of the sink.

"Are you gonna kiss me, yet?" I asked him, boosting myself up a little higher for emphasis.

Jacob pretended to look thoughtful. "Hmmm," he said, "I'm thinking about it…"

"Are you done thinking, now?" I boosted myself a little higher. He leaned in closer.

"Almost…" With a final boost, I met his lips with mine for a peck. However, Jacob had different ideas, and it turned into a full-out make-out session. I had to cut it off, though, when I felt my hair getting stiff from the water and remembered that I was still taking a bath.

"Babe, hang on; let me finish up, and then we can go do some stuff on the island, alright?" I told him. He nodded, and grinned. I turned over and slid fully into the water so that my torso and head was underwater. I heard it when Jacob got up and left the bathroom, even under the water.

~000~

Dry and in my underwear, I stood in front of my suitcase, trying to decide what to wear for the day. I riffled through it, pushing away pairs of shorts, blouses, tank-tops, and a few dresses until I found one that stood out. A small white dress that went about mid-thigh and was halter-top style. I seemed to like those a lot for some reason. The only reason it stood out was because it was the first white article of clothing that I had seen in the whole bag. I stood up, holding it in my hand, and went to hunt for my shoes. Finding them on the floor near the bed, I grabbed them and started dressing.

I found Jacob out on the balcony, wearing a pair of khakis and, like before, a nonexistent shirt. Meaning, he didn't have a shirt on. A glance at his feet told me he was barefoot, too. He didn't seem to be doing anything; just staring at the waves of the ocean over the balcony. A soft breeze ruffled his hair; my heart tugged in a good way, reminding me how much I loved him. With all my heart, so much that it hurt. I didn't think it was possible to love any more than I already did now. Any more love and my heart would surely burst.

I let out a sigh, and Jacob turned, having heard it. His face broke into a beautiful smile, and my breath caught in my throat for a split second. God, I loved this man. With all my heart, every fiber in my being. I was literally made to love him, as a matter of fact. I went over to him, holding out my arms to him. He did the same, meeting me half-way and encircling me into his arms, kissing my forehead lovingly. I buried my face into the crook of his neck and breathed deeply, inhaling his earthy scent.

"You know I love you, right?" I pulled back to look up into his eyes.

Brown eyes looked down at me; trusting, loving, and reassuring. He was like my rock, my anchor, my everything. I could see my reflection in them, a girl of only eighteen, married to her soulmate. I saw my answer in those eyes.

"Yes. Do you know that I love you even more?" he replied, a small smile gracing his lips.

My eyes widened. "Impossible," I said seriously. "I love you so much it hurts."

"Well, I love you so much, that I swear my heart stops beating. Try to top that," he challenged. Challenge accepted.

"I love you more than life in itself. I don't think I could love any more than I do now. I think my heart might burst open." I kissed his lips gently. He rested his forehead against mine, closing his eyes and breathing out slowly.

"I love you so much. Let's just leave it at that. There are no words for how much I love you."

I nodded, rubbing our foreheads together. I giggled, and Jacob smiled. I leaned back and flipped my bangs to the side. Bad habit, I know.

"So," I said, "What do you say we jump over the balcony and into the ocean, eh?"

Jacob's eyes snapped open. "What?" he said, but it was too late. I was already dragging him toward the ledge. We would've jumped over, but Jacob had to be stubborn and dig in his heels. I was yanked back into his arms before I could even touch the rail. Kill joy.

"Jaaaaacob!" I whined. "What's the problem?"

His eyes widened. "What's the problem?" he repeated incredulously. "The problem is that that is dangerous! You could get hurt."

"No I wouldn't!" I protested, giving a tug on his hand. "I have cliff-dived so many times that I could do it in my sleep. This isn't even half of that length, not even a quarter! Come on," I pouted, giving him the puppy-dog face. "Please, for me?" I locked my arms around his neck, pushing my face against his, forehead-to-forehead.

He groaned. "Ugh. Fine. But just this—once!" He barely got to finish because I was already dragging him to the rail. We boosted ourselves over the rail…

And fell over the edge, screaming in joy all the way over. We crashed into the waves below with a huge splash, swimming up to the surface as soon as the bubbles cleared from us. We broke through the water, laughing at each other and swiping salt water out of our eyes.

"See," I told him, "That wasn't so bad! That was fun!"

"Alright, so it was," he admitted. "But I bet I could beat you in a race to that rock over there!" He pointed over to a rock that was about thirty feet from us. Easy distance for me. Not sure why he thought he could beat me, though, what with my tail and everything. I looked back at him and smirked.

"You're on. On your mark, get set, go!" And we took off. I was there in less than five seconds. I held on to the rock and leaned on it with my forearms, resting my head on them while I waited for him to make it. The rock was low and flat enough that I could rest on it with ease, giving me a great view to watch his muscles work as he propelled his body through the water, slicing through cleanly. A minute later, he was in front of me, wiping salt water out of his eyes. He saw me, looked back at the spot where we had been, and sputtered. I flicked my tail powerfully in the water and then held it up in the water behind me. I can't bend it, but I can sort of show him by bringing it around to his side.

"Oh," he said. Then he laughed at himself.

"Yeah, '_Oh_'," I laughed at him. "Come on, let's explore. There's actually fish here! But let's get out of view, we don't want anyone seeing me and thinking it'll be cool to take my picture and send it to some newspaper or something." I took his hand and swam us away from the rock, towards a more secluded and private part of the island. Then we dove under and explored.

Colors, both vibrant and dull, invaded my senses. Fish of every color imaginable swam everywhere. It was like… being in the crayon box of a toddler. Color was everywhere you looked, and fishes I've never seen before swam away and with us. A fish, brilliant blue on one side and dark red on the other, actually came up to me. When I held a hand out to it, it nibbled on my index-finger. I guessed it was checking to see if I was small enough to eat. From the way it swam away from me quickly afterwards, I must not have passed the test.

The plants and habitats were no different. The fish blended in with the coral and I could hardly tell which was which; fish, or plant? I had a little scare, though, when Jacob reached out to touch a piece of coral—coral that was not meant for touching at all. I snatched his hand back and shook my head at him feverishly. I had to take him up to the surface to explain to him.

"You can't touch anything," I told him once we'd emerged from the water. "That piece of coral you almost touched was poisonous. If you had touched it, you'd have been dead before I could get you to a hospital, werewolf or not. I should've told you not to touch anything before, I'm sorry." I shook my head in shame.

"It's not your fault," he told me, hugging me. "I should've been more careful, or asked you first."

"Sorry, still."

"Let's do some more exploring, yeah?"

I smiled at him. "Sure."

And so we did. For about an hour more, and then we got hungry. We hadn't eaten breakfast, we'd gotten up late, and the first thing we'd done when we'd woken up was go swimming. Somehow, I don't think we have an excuse.

So while we puzzled over how we were going to get into our hotel room—or a restaurant for that matter—when we had jumped off the balcony into the ocean and left the key card inside without going in through the main entrance of the hotel, Jacob dried, and I paced around, thinking hard. I could've dried him myself, but I think we both knew it was an excuse to work up a plan. After twenty minutes, I came up with nothing. Looked like we were going to have to just go to some restaurant and ask for help when we came back. Or I could try to do something else…

I went with the latter. Obviously.

I stopped pacing. Closing my eyes, I held absolutely still. In my mind's eye, I saw our hotel room. Our messed up sheets on the bed, our clothes from last night embarrassingly strewn among them. I blushed, but continued with my vision. Next to the bed, the nightstand was there, Jacob's wallet sitting there idly. And beside the wallet, a small, thin, plastic card lying face down. I imagined my hand materializing in front of the nightstand and watched as it grabbed the plastic card off of it. Then, after some hesitation, it grabbed the wallet, too. I pulled my hand back, and held my prizes up, grinning triumphantly at Jacob who stood there with his mouth hanging open.

"How did you do that?" he asked, sounding shocked and pleasantly surprised.

I shrugged. "The power of imagination," I told him, then handed him his wallet and led the way towards the street at the end of the tree line we were hiding in. At the very edge, I stuck my head out ever so slightly and looked around. Nobody to the left. Nobody to the right. All clear for us to go. I waved Jacob over and we walked hand in hand across the street, blending in with the passersby on the other street once we reached it. Nobody paid us any attention.

Or so I thought.

Over to the left under the shade of another store's roof was a shadowy figure, hunched and wearing a big trench coat; he was staring over in our direction. At first I thought he was staring at the both of us. But then I realized he was staring only at _me._ I tried to act natural, pretending not to look at him while I stole a peek or two from my peripheral vision. He continued to stare as if he were bored, but I could feel the intensity burning a hole through my head. We came closer to the store he was under, and that was when I got a good look at him.

Up close, he looked young; and when I say young, I mean _young_. Twelve at the oldest, ten at the youngest. Underneath his coat, a black t-shirt was visible, along with black boots and black jeans. In the flourish of color everyone was wearing, myself and Jacob included, he stuck out like a sore thumb. Though I noticed nobody even glanced his way. Not even the people coming out of the store, passing him and literally touching him. Not one glance in his direction.

Doesn't that seem a little strange to you? It sure seemed like it to me. It could only suggest one thing—magic. And something strong, from the aura of power I was getting from him. Strong vibes; ones that should be treated like loaded guns.

He had blonde hair the color of wet sand, and his eyes were brown. There was something about those eyes; something that made me want to get to know them. A sort of vulnerable pain and a message of shame that made me think he was being forced to do something he would regret. That was another thing—regret. His eyes were just so full of conflicting emotions that I couldn't separate them individually as well as I usually could. It frustrated me, not being able to help this tortured soul that I didn't even know. He was too young to have such… eyes. Such feelings. He had the eyes of an old man who had had a long, hard life full of things worthy of regret. A little piece of me died inside.

I decided it would be best to keep my distance.

When Jacob and I finally arrived at the diner a few minutes of walking later, we were welcomed by two things; a smiling waitress and delicious scents coming from a kitchen in the back of the diner. My mouth was watering before the waitress even started talking.

"Aloha!" she greeted Jacob and me, "Welcome! Table for two?"

No, table for twelve.

Jacob nodded, and the waitress said, "Okay, follow me; I'll take you to your table." She smiled at him with what I thought was unnecessary warmth, ignoring him completely, and took his arm. She pulled him over to a table that was exactly five steps away from where we were standing. _Five freaking steps._ What reason was there for her to put her hands on my husband?

I bristled when she let him go and flashed him another smile. He nodded at her in thanks and then came around to pull out my seat for me to sit. I smiled at him thankfully in a way that let him know that while it was very much appreciated, he didn't have to do it. Jacob grinned back at me in a way that I read as, _I know. I do it anyway. _Then he went and sat in his own seat.

"My name is Meka and I will be your server today. Can I start you off with anything to drink?" I didn't miss that she was only talking to him. So I intervened, since I knew Jacob was going to look at the menu first anyway.

"I'd like some orange juice please," I said, reaching out one hand across the table and slipping my hand into Jacob's. From the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth, he knew what I was doing. I was showing this lady he was _mine. _Only mine. He squeezed my hand lightly.

Meka scribbled that on her notepad and then looked at Jacob. I looked her over. She looked pretty young, maybe sixteen or fifteen, and she had the largest brown eyes I'd ever seen on a person. Well, Meka did mean 'eyes' from what I remember reading on a website once. Made sense for her. She was short and thin, with thick black hair held up in a ponytail at the nape of her neck. She was just a teenager.

"And you, Mister…?" Oh my goodness. She's trying to get his name! What the hell?

"An orange juice for me, too, please," Jacob answered, ignoring her hint to tell her his name.

I have never felt so proud of my Jacob.

She scribbled it down on her notepad, a blush working its way up from her neck. "Okay, I'll be right back with your drinks." And she scurried away.

I let out a breath, blowing out my cheeks. Jacob chuckled softly at me, and I gave him a half-smile.

"You didn't have to worry, you know," he told me. "I wasn't interested. I am married to you, you know."

I grimaced at the use of my words being spit back at me. "Yes, I know. But that_ so_ does not mean that I won't get jealous when other girls try to hit on you even though they see that I'm right next to you. It's not… nice." I grimaced again.

"Well, remember that when we walk on the streets and almost every male on the street is staring only at you. Literally every male—even the dogs. They smell the wolf on you. My little she-wolf," he sighed affectionately. He reached out and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. I caught his hand and held it to my face, turning sideways and kissing the inside of his palm.

"I love you," I mumbled into his skin. He took hold of my chin and turned my face to look at him.

"I love you, too."

"Here are your drinks." Meka was back with two glasses of orange juice in her hands. We'd been so preoccupied—cough, cough—that we hadn't even noticed her coming our way. She set the drinks on the table and stepped back, notepad and pen at the ready. "Are you ready to order?"

"Yes, actually," I answered, smiling brightly.

We ordered. We got our food in less than an hour. And Jacob ate his like a civilized person. I was even more proud of him, congratulating him when we walked out of the diner, after paying and leaving a tip for the food.

"Whatever," he said while we walked hand in hand, swinging them between us as we walked. It was late afternoon now, about to be three o'clock in their time. Back in La Push it would be about six in the evening. I may not be there now, but my internal clock was programmed to that time. I was already yawning, covering my mouth with my hand before I talked.

"Tired already?" he teased, smiling down at me. I winked, yawning again. We were almost to the hotel, walking back there to figure out what we were going to do next. We were torn between going to an exhibit where they show you the animals they have in their waters, and going to see the volcano exhibits. Or just some more exploring. I think that's what we'll end up doing most on our vacation. Well, for daylight hours, anyway.

"Nah," I said, waving my free hand dismissively. He scrutinized me, and I guessed he didn't believe me, because the next thing I knew, he scooped me into his arms and carried me, walking toward the hotel. I tried to convince myself that his pace wasn't faster than the one we'd had when we were walking with me on the ground. I refuse to say that I was slowing him down.

We made it there in less than ten minutes. Jacob put me down once we were in the elevator—too late, in my opinion—and let me walk on my own the rest of the distance to the room. Once in, I walked straight for the bedroom, wanting to change my shoes into something more comfortable for walking or exploring, as I was sure we were going to do.

I was just lacing up the laces of my left boot when something on the nightstand caught my eye. My phone. I picked it up, unlocking it, and felt my eyebrows shoot up when I saw that I had a message from Dawn. I opened it. It read:

_This is the only message you'll be getting from anyone back here for the next two weeks. Will call u if anything goes wrong. Don't worry. Everything under control. Be safe. Have fun! ;) _

_-DC_

I looked at the date of the message. Yesterday at midnight their time. When Jacob and I had been… uhm, _busy._ Cue my blush.

When I had walked into the bedroom, the place had been clean. The bed was made, and our clothes had been washed and folded on top of the covers. I cannot describe the fierce blush that had worked its way up my neck to my ears. I hadn't been able to breathe for a few minutes.

I heard a knock against the doorjamb and turned around. Jacob stood in the doorway, gazing at me. "You ready?" he asked. I smiled at him and nodded.

I got up off the edge of the bed and went over to him. "I'm ready," I smiled and then took his hand and pulled him along behind me. "Let's go."

000000

"That was soo much fun!" Jacob exclaimed as he and I rode in the elevator on the way to our room. "We should do that again tomorrow; I swear that will never get tiring."

I nodded in agreement. It turned out, we had done two out of the three we'd been aiming to do. We had gone to the sea-life exhibit and explored (with an annoying guide who'd insisted on coming with us. In my opinion, I think he was just trying to get a good look at my butt) the land a little bit. We had also had to do that with a group, which annoyed Jacob a little, but I didn't let it get me down. After all, it was still fun.

I for one could not get over the extravagant beauty of everything here. Flowers, animals, and plants alike, everything just had a natural beauty that made it hard to believe anything that lived here could be ugly. I hadn't seen anything of the sort yet, but I wasn't counting on it. Radiant colors, neon and not, burst everywhere, making me thankful that I wasn't blind. And the food here—delicious. Everything just the right amount of sweet and sour, salty and sugary, and bitter and—well, whatever bitter's counterpart is. It all made me ask myself, why haven't I suggested a vacation to Hawaii all my life to my father? I should've done that _ages_ ago!

"Yeah, today was a long day," I told him. I wasn't lying. I had been tired this afternoon—it was evening now—because my internal clock was timed to La Push. But I had taken a nap earlier when Jacob had suggested it. That was between exploring with the guide, and dinner. Our stomachs were full, our curiosity at bay, and we were ready for the nighttime.

The elevator opened up, and we quickly walked to our room, where I slid in the card and punched in the code, opening the door for us. I flipped on switches while I made my way to the master bedroom, Jacob following behind me. I already knew he was without looking. I didn't need to. I felt his presence like heat—mostly because he was radiating heat.

The first thing I did when I walked into the bedroom was kick off my boots. My feet were flipping suffocating in them from all that walking! I sighed out in relief as I walked on the cool floor of the room. There was a breeze coming from the window, and I decided to go out on the balcony for a few minutes.

The breeze washed over me like a wave, cooling me off just a smidge. I was a werewolf, so that meant that I usually didn't feel the cold anymore—at least until I reached a place of certain temperature. I figured that out a few years ago on a little trip I took to Canada for experimentation. I seemed to do that a lot; experimentation. I think I might have a future in science.

Aw, who am I kidding? I'm gonna be a teacher.

I was distracted by the coolness of breeze, and I didn't notice that Jacob had come out behind me. He wrapped his arms around my waist, almost making me jump. From the feel of his naked torso, he'd taken his shirt off. I could feel the strong contours of his muscles, the muscles that came from… werewolfism. Was that even a word? It was now.

Everywhere his skin brushed mine—which was a lot of places, considering I was wearing a sleeveless dress and he was shirtless—I felt an electric tingle. It made me shiver in delight.

"Do you know how mesmerizing you are when you stand in the moonlight like that?" Jacob murmured huskily, making several places in my body tingle with a once-foreign heat.

"I didn't know I was mesmerizing," I said, struggling to keep my voice even. He was planting soft kisses on my neck, occasionally nipping, and it was becoming harder and harder to focus. Darn him and his hypnotic kisses.

"You are," he said into my skin, his voice muffled. "You're so beautiful. I can't believe you're all mine. My wife, my imprint, my bestfriend. Sometimes I'll ask myself, what would life be like if I never knew you? Would I be single and going to college? Would I still be hung over someone who doesn't love me?"

We both knew who that someone was. Allow me to say it; _harrumph!_

"Sometimes I'll think the same thing," I told him, leaning into him some more to feel his delicious warmth. "Would I still even live here? Would my mother have done what my Grandmother had wanted and gone to live in New York? Would I have been a spoiled New Yorker my whole life? Would I have ended up sixteen and pregnant? Would I have even gotten a boyfriend, a bestfriend, and real life?

"Then I'll think over to my life here and be grateful for the life I have. That I have you. I remember though, before my mom died, that she was always okay with you. She always seemed to be… relieved, I think, whenever she saw us together. Like she knew I was in good hands, in the heart of someone who would treat me right. This has never felt so natural to me, so… appropriate."

"What?" he asked me. He was done kissing me, paying more attention to what I was saying.

"This," I pushed myself tighter into his embrace. His arms tightened around me automatically, an involuntary action. "Kissing you, loving you; it's as easy as breathing. I don't think about it. I just do it. I feel like I was _meant_ for this. Like I was _made_—sorry, _born_—to love you."

And I knew it was true. We were born for each other, put on this earth to love each other and live the rest of our lives together. We were like two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together, two notes in perfect harmony, two hearts beating as one.

Okay, I'm done with that mushy talk. Soulmates.

That's what we are.

And he suddenly turned me around in his arms, made me look up at him, and crushed his lips to mine in a heated, passionate kiss. My body was there before my mind was. My hands were in his hair before I could blink my eyes shut, tugging him closer to me. He had one hand on the back of my head to keep me there, and the other was roaming all over my body, skimming and caressing my bare skin, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. Jacob's hand skimmed from the curve of my breast to my side, trailing down my hip and thigh, coming to rest there just below the hem of my dress.

I knew subconsciously that I was making little whimpering sounds in the back of my throat. I made encouraging murmurs against his lips, encouraging his touches with gentle touches of my own, on his face, his arms, his smooth, muscled back. His lips came harder on mine with a heated fervor, frenzied. Our tongues danced as we kissed, and his hand came back to life, sliding under the loose hem of my dress, up my thigh and up my side. He ran his hand over my side a few times, and then his hand came down to my waist, squeezing briefly. My breath caught, and I broke away for air. Jacob's lips didn't stop kissing me, leaving a trail of fiery kisses along my jaw… down my neck… any place he dared to kiss me.

Then his hand moved from my waist to the back of my thigh. I understood what he was trying to do. I jumped up and wrapped my legs around his waist, my arms locked around his neck, his arms supporting me. He carried us into the room, and somehow my dress had come off, and we were already on the bed.

Needless to say, sleep didn't come to us for… a while, later in the night.

_Two weeks later…_

Our honeymoon was over today. Jacob and I made the very best of it, doing almost everything it had to offer, from going volcano-seeing, to playing with animals outside of any resort they had for seeing animals. Two weeks' worth of this, and it never once got tiring. At least, not to me, anyway. Although I don't think Jacob got tired of it. We had fun.

Along with the constant new things we did and saw, there was one thing that kept happening that I didn't like; that guy kept following us.

I didn't think he was an actual threat. Just some guy who… maybe had nothing better to do than follow two newlyweds around Hawaii? I didn't think so.

I wasn't about to let my guard down, not even as I returned the key to the hotel clerk at the desk, who smiled and wished me a safe trip back home and a wonderful, happy life with my husband. "Aloha!" she bid us goodbye as we left the hotel. I waved back at her, smiling. Now all we had to do was find a secluded place to teleport from. So far, few people were up, as it was nine in the morning on a Saturday in their time. I would have to find some place covered, like an alleyway between two buildings.

Preferably without cameras and crap like that…

Ten minutes of walking around later, and I came up with my answer. A restaurant and thrift store were pressed pretty close together, offering cover from prying eyes and cameras, seeing as there weren't any and the stores were both closed. I nodded over to it, luggage in hand, and took Jacob's hand, closing my eyes.

Right now, my house—cue my excited squeal—was empty, as far as I could tell. I could teleport there right now.

"Remember, take in a breath and don't move," I warned him, squeezing his hand reassuringly. And then I teleported.

Teleporting isn't as bad as you would think. Think of it as being dropped horizontally a few feet in the air, and then having your ears slightly muffled and your eyes watery and your balance thrown off. You're dizzy when you finish, but hey, you get to your destination, right?

That's how I looked at it, anyway.

When I opened my eyes, we were on the front porch of—dare I say it—our house. I still couldn't believe it. _Our very own house! _My dream house, the kind that I'd always wanted! It had a big kitchen, all marble and tile, sleek and not so feminine. I remembered it had the rack attached to the ceiling to hang pots and pans on, and four bedrooms, and two stories, three bathrooms, and of course, the space in the back. It was perfect.

The porch was suspiciously furnished; a few ornaments hung up and spread around. A wind chime was hung up on the outer edge, and a little welcoming ornament beside the doorbell. At first glance, it appeared empty. But then, I looked a little closer and saw my keys in there. My keys, with everything from my car keys to the keys to Dad's house on it. I took them out, staring at them incredulously. I sent Jacob a, _what-the-hell? -_ look. He sent one back, looking just as confused as I was.

I shrugged. I would figure out what was going on soon enough. I unlocked the door, thinking about how the house would be empty and we would have to go furnish it soon, when we got more or less settled in. But it turned out that kind of thinking was useless.

The sight of the house made me literally drop my suitcases in shock and surprise.

The house was completely furnished. The door opened straight into the living room, so I could see the couch, expensive looking sofa, the TV that I recognized from Dad's basement, the coffee table I didn't own, and several other things I didn't own. A loveseat to the side of the sofa held a note taped to it, but I was too busy looking around the house at all the other furniture.

The kitchen had silverware and pots and pans that I had once seen and liked in one of the department stores at the mall when I had gone with the imprints and girls. A baby's feeding chair sat next to a dining table that I actually recognized from our basement. The dining room was right in front of the glass back door that lead to the back yard—the very, very big back yard.

I dashed up the stairs to look at the rooms. I was so excited by all of this that I skipped and forgot about the two rooms on the first floor. I went to the master bedroom first, the room at the end of the hall to the left.

I literally let out a squeal when I saw it. My bed, my queen-sized bed rested in the middle of the room, in between the window—which had that little cushion couch underneath it—and the attached bathroom. Yeah, this room had its own bathroom! The room was huge and spacious, already holding my old dresser and Jacob's old dresser, a chest at the foot of the bed, and several of my knives already mounted on the walls. I left that room, leaving it open for Jacob to follow me.

The room across the hall was the guest room. Opening the door, I saw that it had been furnished, with a bed, a dresser, and a small desk. The window had a view of the driveway at the front of the house. The floors were all hard wood, creaking only when you walked too quickly on it.

I finally remembered the two bottoms rooms and dashed back down the stairs. The bathroom downstairs had all the necessities inside, looking very fancy. The next room was like a guest room, furnished much like the other room upstairs, except plainer. It had a small window showing the front yard and some of the side of the house. The next room across the hall made smile wider. My instruments were in there, along with my desk and some pictures of my family and the pack and Jacob, Embry, and Quil and me when we were younger. My many guitars and my key board and my few percussion instruments. I'd inherited those from my father since Austin hadn't wanted them.

The house had furniture that was both ours and not ours. While Jacob and I were gone, someone had been working on the house here. I wonder what they did to the back yard, if anything.

I walked out of those rooms, Jacob following closely behind, and stepped out onto the back porch. It had a few ornaments hanging around, too, along with a rocking chair in the corner. But that wasn't what made me let out a happy squeal and start running from the porch.

It was the crowd of people standing in front of the fenced area of the yard, standing in front of three horses.

The first person I crashed into was my father, who hugged me tightly, kissing my forehead when we pulled apart. Next was my brother Austin, then his girlfriend Leah, then the other imprints, and then the pack. Dawn was after the pack, holding Milagros in her arms. I hugged them both, and Dawn handed Milagros over to me.

The moment Millie saw me, her expression turned from one of bewilderment to one of excitement and happiness. She grinned and let out a peal of laughter, moving excitedly in Dawn's arms to get to me. I was holding her now, and she couldn't take her eyes off of me. I kissed her forehead, cradling her to my chest.

Surrounded by my family, I felt loved. Absolutely and completely loved. There is no better feeling that compares. Everyone around us couldn't help but try to touch Jacob and me in some way, as if to make sure we weren't going to disappear and leave again. It felt like the way it had when I had come back from running away for those horrible two and a half months. Everyone had been touching me in some way, as if they thought I was going to disappear into thin air. But it felt different this time. Everything had some sort of glow to it, making me wonder if I was about to faint or something equally weird.

"I'm so happy to see you guys!" I exclaimed happily. Millie let out a happy squeal in my arms. Jacob wrapped his around my waist from behind. Warmth coursed through me. My family smiled at me.

"We're happy to see you, too. How was it? Did you guys have fun?" The question came from Emily, who stood beside Sam. He had his arms wrapped around her waist, her stomach huge and bulging. She looked so close to her due date. Actually, I think she's a few days from her due date…

"It was great!" I answered her.

"We had a lot of fun. There was so much to do over there, and everything looked so beautiful. You can't get bored!" Jacob said, and I could hear the grin in his voice.

"Well, we're glad you had a good time," Dad said, smiling slightly.

Then I heard it. The whinny of the horses behind them. I grinned.

"And who are these beautiful creatures?" I asked, coming over to pet one of them. This one was a mare, dark and sleek with splotches of white and grey covering her all over. She whinnied again, and I rubbed her snout. She pushed her snout into my hand, looking for a hand out. The stallion came over next to her, and he pushed at my shoulder, making me take a step back.

"They're yours."

My eyes widened and I stepped away from the horses. Did I hear them right? They're _mine?_

"Ours?" Jacob asked, looking much how I felt.

"Yep," Seth said, looking proud of himself for some reason. That kid.

"Where did all of this stuff come from?" I exclaimed incredulously. I couldn't believe all of this. It just isn't… real. I can't explain it, but I was feeling so dazed right then that I wouldn't have been able to walk in a straight line.

"All of that in your house that isn't yours," Dad explained, "came from us. All of that came from us, as in everyone from the wedding. They're your wedding gifts."

What? Wedding gifts? Quite some gifts, if you ask me. Each and every one of them. It was so surreal, all of this. First, the Cullens buy us our house. That in itself was weird, considering they had no reason to like us. Not to mention they were our mortal enemies not a year ago. Second, everyone in our wedding party had decided to buy us household appliances. Either they were in on this plan, or everyone suddenly had the same train of thought at the same time. Not likely, though stranger things have happened.

And another thing. Who bought us these horses?

"Who got the horses?" I voiced my thoughts.

"Your Grandfather, actually. While you were planning the wedding, he'd come to spec the house because he noticed that you'd had your eye on it for a while. He noticed the big fenced place in your back yard and, when the Cullens told everyone that they were going to buy the house for you, he bought the horses. From a friend he said," Dad explained, smiling wryly at me.

Oh Lord, I was gonna be sending out _so many_ thank you cards…

"Okay, one question." I held up my index finger. "Does the fridge happen to have any food in it?"

"I stocked some last night, why?" Dawn answered, looking at me curiously.

"Cause I wanna have a house-warming party! I need to cook anyway. Two weeks of practically not lifting a finger can make a girl crazy—especially when I'm so used to cooking dinner for people almost every night."

And so, a half an hour later, we were sitting in my dining room, having a grand old time, just hanging out and being family. The pack boys were doing their thing—pigging out—Jacob and Sam included. Emily and I were talking in the kitchen, washing our dishes in the two sided sink.

"So you and Jacob were careful, right? Using protection and stuff like that?" she was asking me.

My cheeks burned as I blushed. "Of course!" I nearly sputtered in embarrassment. "Protection and the pill. Believe me, Em; I want to be a mother, but not this early. Especially since I'm going to college." It was true. I want to be a mother and start my own family with Jacob, but we're going to wait a few years, for precautions' sake. College is bound to be much harder with the flutters of a baby in my stomach and then a baby on my hip.

"Just checking," Emily said, a smile about to curve her lips, but something happened. Her eyes widened, and she hunched over, groaning in pain as she clutched her bulging abdomen. She looked back up at me, panic and pain flashing in her eyes, and she opened her mouth to say something to me, but was cut off by another groan of pain. She didn't need to tell me. I already knew.

And the clear liquid pooling on the floor between her legs just confirmed what I already knew.

The baby was coming. Emily was going into labor. In my kitchen. _Now._

"Sam!" Emily and I called simultaneously. I scooped her up in my arms as if she weighed five pounds. She was smaller than me, more petite, so I wasn't overwhelmed as I dashed carefully into the dining room. Sam met me in the doorway, his face a mask of horror as he took in the image of his wife in pain in my arms.

"What's going on?" he boomed, panic flowing into his voice. I did my best to calm him.

"Emily's water broke. She's going to have her baby!"

Okay. Not the most calming words he'll ever hear. But what can you do when your friend was about to have her baby in your house, which you haven't even spent five hours in?

_Ditch the house?_

No!

_Help the friend?_

Duh.

_Scream and run?_

…Maybe…

Not.

Oh Lord; what am I going to _do?_

* * *

><p><strong>And that concludes this chapter. Much shorter than the last chapter. Thanks to everyone who reviewed that chapter! You guys rock! Y'all are my source of motivation.<strong>

**Here's a little treat for you, since you guys are so awesome:**

_**First person who reviews gets a little excerpt from the next chapter! **_** Those of you who have an account, I'll PM it to you. Those of you who don't… I'll email it to you? Boy, what a predicament… **

**Uh, the best I can do is email it to you. If you don't want to post your email in a review, or you don't want anyone to see it, then post your review, and then make a separate one with your email on it. I'll delete the one with the email on it and send you the excerpt. That way I'll still be able to see your review, no one sees your email, and you get the excerpt! Everyone's happy. **_**:) Remember, make two reviews, and make sure to tell me if you want me to delete it. I won't delete it if you don't tell me to. **_

**With that said, I'm out. Please leave me a review! :)**

**Ciao!**

**~Alee V.**


	8. Six hours late? Jake, don't be jealous!

**Everyone, I am back. Hi. I know it's been a while since I've updated, but school started, I have more homework, and the people in my house have been edgier than ever. Not a very good environment for the writer's soul. Anyway, I bring you the new chapter of HITB! Keep in mind, whether it be in this chapter or the next one, there's going to be a FIVE YEAR TIME SKIP. **

**Yes, you heard me right. Five years. Just enough for Serenity and Jacob to finish college and get jobs. I'm sure you understand that importance, right? Thanks. So, go ahead and read.**

**Also, quick request: Could you guys review some songs that go well with Jacob and Serenity's relationship? Or just about the story—well, Running Away, and what's here so far of this story. Pretty please? I'd really appreciate it. **

**Read on and please review!**

* * *

><p>"<em>Your baby blues;<em>

_So full of wonder._

_Your curly cues;_

_Your contagious smile._

_And as I watch,_

_You start to grow up._

_All I can do_

_Is hold you tight…_

_Knowing clouds will rise up,_

_Storms will race in._

_But you will be safe,_

_In my arms._

_Rain will pour down,_

_Waves will crash all around._

_But you will be safe,_

_In my arms."_

_~"In My arms" by Plumb_

* * *

><p>"Serenity! What do we do? Should we take her to the hospital? Should we call Carlisle? Tell me what to do, dammit!" Sam's shouts rang throughout the house, alerting everybody to what was going on. I didn't know what to do. I was just as lost as he was! Obviously that wasn't what he wanted to hear, so I didn't tell him that.<p>

Instead, I answered his questions.

"We can't take her to the hospital; it'll take too long. Get Carlisle on the phone for me, quickly. We'll have to wait for him for now," I winced as Emily muffled a scream by biting on her hand.

"Serenity, Carlisle is about a four and a half hour drive away from here. He won't make it in time," Jacob said, rounding the corner to the kitchen.

This new information struck a shiver of fear and panic down my spine. Great. Now what do I do? I had no medical training other than knowing how to sew up a deep cut, clean a wound, and wrap them up. Nothing on how to treat a woman in labor. I was completely unprepared for this! I had no idea how to fix this.

I suddenly realized everyone was staring at me. They were trying to see what I would do, how I would lead this situation. One word:

Crap.

"I don't know how to deliver a baby!" I cried, eyes wide in fear and panic. Emily griped my shoulder with her hand, her grip like iron.

"Serenity, please," she begged me. "You're the only thing we've got. My baby's coming now, and I don't want anything to happen to him by holding him in. I need you. We need you." She probably would've continued, but she was cut off by her own whimper of pain.

That one sound was all I needed to make my decision.

Suddenly, it was as if I had snapped into business mode.

"Alright," I said firmly, "I need everyone to help with this. Nobody's hands are going to be empty for a while, so start moving!" And with that, I walked up the stairs, barking directions and demanding supplies that I thought I might need for this. I burst into mine and Jacob's room and gently set Emily down on my bed.

_Think, think, think,_ I told myself. _What does a woman in labor need?_

_Dry clothes!_

I ran over to my dresser, nearly crying with relief when I tore open the first drawer. My clothes were in here. I grabbed a long night gown and rushed over to Emily's side. I helped her into the gown and kneeled beside her. I took her hand in both of mine and looked up into her eyes.

"Emily," I said. "I'm going to do as much as I can to get both of you through this. The best of my ability. I promise." My voice was thick with emotion.

She smiled at me through her pain. "Okay."

I went with her through the breathing pattern, propped her up on some pillows, and sent the people with supplies straight out of the room after they dropped it off. I ran a hand through my hair and breathed out a sigh. This was definitely going to take a while, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was getting Emily—and Sam Jr.—out of this alive.

~00~

"Emily." I wiped her forehead. "Emily, stay with me. I need you awake. You have to push just a few more times for me, okay?"

She breathed raggedly, swimming in her own sweat. It's been hours; I wasn't sure how much more of this she could take. My hands were covered in blood, I was sweating with her, and Emily was starting to lose consciousness. She was in constant pain, and I wished, not for the first time that I could take it all away.

"Em, look at me." She rolled her head over to me, and it looked as if it took all of her strength to do so. I wished I could give her something for the pain, but it just wasn't possible. This was my house, not a hospital.

"Emily, please, just hang on to something, and give me one big push, okay?"

She grunted and seemed to change her position on the bed, allowing me a better grip and view. Then she started breathing even harder, and her lips turned white as a strangled scream escaped her. Her back arched in excruciating pain, and I did what I had to do.

I tried to work quickly, using the supplies I'd ordered the boys to get for me. Then, something so shocking, so beautiful, so indescribable happened.

"Oh my God." My voice was hushed in awe.

And a beautiful baby's wail resonated in the room, filling the entire house.

Emily sagged in relief, her breathing still ragged but with a more positive lilt to it. She relaxed on the bed, her lips curling into a smile that, while it didn't quite make it on her lips, shined radiantly in her eyes.

The infant in my arms was beautiful. He was covered in blood, wailing his head off, and wrapped in a fluffy white towel in my arms, so tiny that the towel could've engulfed him three times over. He had Emily's straight nose, and Sam's mouth shape. He was small, he was beautiful, and he was alive. His wails confirmed that.

"Emily, you did it," I said, my voice thick with relieved tears. "He's beautiful, and he looks just like you and Sam. Here, you can hold him. I'll call Sam."

Emily held her arms out for her son. I gently put the baby into them, arms hovering underneath hers just in case she couldn't hold him on her own. I kissed Emily's forehead. "You did it; you made it."

I yelled for the doorway. "Sam! Get in here!"

No sooner had the words left my mouth was he thumping up the stairs. He stopped in front of me, eyes wide and bright with excitement. I smiled up at him.

"They're waiting," I whispered. I stepped out of the doorway to let him pass. He stepped in and immediately went down on his knees.

I don't think I've ever seen such happiness on a person's face before. It was blinding almost, though I didn't look away. Tears were running down Sam's face as he dragged himself on his knees over to his wife and son, putting one arm behind Emily's head and the other under her arms, enveloping them both in a sort of hug.

Emily was grinning, sweat shining on her face and in her hair, but she couldn't have looked more beautiful. They were together now; father, mother, and son, as radiant as the sun. Literally; I'm sure there was a glowing halo of light surrounding them.

Not wanting to impose myself on their moment, I backed away silently, walking out of the room. I thumped down the stairs, halting when I saw everyone sitting in the living room tensely. They heard me, though, and all looked back at me.

Several jaws dropped, all eyes widened, and four people stood up. Dad, Austin, Dawn, and Jacob. Jacob reached me first, eyes widened in shock and horror.

"What happened to you?" he said breathlessly. His eyes scanned all over me, taking me in.

As I followed his gaze, I realized just what he—and everyone else—was seeing. Blood soaked my clothes, my hands, and probably my face and hair. I was sweaty, my hair was messy, and the scent of blood lingered all over me. What could I say? I had just delivered a baby for Pete's sake!

"I just delivered a baby," I said slowly, as if I was talking to a small child. "It's not as clean as it looks in the movies. It's actually quite messy."

I suddenly broke into a grin as my first sentence sunk in. While I knew what I was talking about, my words just confused the others even more. Sam and Emily's baby was born. It was such a miracle, so great that it was all I could do to keep from crying tears of joy on the spot.

"He's here, you guys," I said, excitement hushing my voice. "Sam's baby. It's a boy."

Several shouts of happiness and excitement filled the air, and smiles were all I could see.

"How's Emily?" Leah's voice cut through the air and I turned to look at her.

"She's fine. It's finally over. You guys did call Carlisle, right?" I looked to Jacob for confirmation.

"Yes." He nodded. "Right when you kicked us out. He should've been here hours ago. I don't know what held him up."

Wow. Figures. Emily and I just went through six hours of pain and sweat—during which Emily was in labor giving birth to a baby—while Dr. Fang was being "held up." I swear, if he wasn't a friend—or one of the people I was so in debt to—I would've unleashed my rage right on the spot without a second thought. But sadly I could not.

I scoffed. But then I wiped away any negative features from my expression and smiled instead. "So," I said, "who wants to see Sam Junior?"

All hands shot up in the air. I smirked. I didn't think anyone wouldn't.

"Emily?"

I poked my head inside my room. "Can we come in?"

Emily, Sam, and their son were still in the same position I left them in, except that Emily had my night gown hitched up and her own discarded shirt covering her exposed skin. Underneath the blanket was probably the baby.

I raised my eyebrows. "He got hungry that quick, huh?" I chuckled.

Emily smiled at me. "Just like his father." She gazed at Sam adoringly, and he returned her gaze, touching her forehead with his.

"You guys can come in," Emily said suddenly, as if she's just remembered we were even here. I wondered if that was what it was like; when you and your husband/the father of your child are together with said child, everything else in the world fades away until it is only you three.

We all poured into my room, grinning giddily at the sight of the family together on my bed. While everyone stared and gaped at them, I went over to Emily and wiped her sweaty forehead with a small wet towel. My motherly instincts were heightened with the infant in the room. I can't help myself; when I see a baby in the room, I instantly become Momma Bear, out to protect the cubs of other women everywhere.

Until I have my own, at least. But even then, Momma Bear will never rest!

The sound of a car engine outside caught my attention. We didn't get many cars out here. My house was secluded enough that I hardly got any cars or city noises around here. Not that we generally had those noises here in La Push, but still. A car passing by was rare. Yes, I learned that in the many times that I visited the house before I moved in.

The car engine stopped, and just as it did, I heard the doorbell ring.

"Embry, will you go get that, please?" I asked him. He nodded and ducked out of the room.

With my heightened senses, I heard an impatient breath from the person on the other side of the door. I heard Embry yank open the door, saying, "Nice of you to finally come by. I'm afraid you're about—hmm, let me see—_six hours too late._"

"I apologize profusely, Embry," Carlisle's smooth voice said. "I in the middle of something with my family when you called." And then, when Embry said nothing to this, "Will you let me in? There may still be something I can do."

I heard Embry's weight shift off the hard-floor, and the soft clicks of Carlisle's shoes as he walked in. Embry led him up the stairs, and they walked in the room, silencing any and all conversation. Carlisle seemed unaffected by this, or if he was, he didn't show it.

He was in business mode, his butterscotch eyes surveying the room. Weird eye color, but there wasn't anything he or I could do about that. He walked over to Emily, Sam, the baby, and me, and started talking to us.

"Who here delivered the infant?" he asked. Sam and Emily pointed at me, and I raised my hand slightly. He looked sort of impressed, taking in my appearance. My bloody clothes, hands and face. Which reminded me—my sheets were forever going to be stained with Emily's birthing blood. Ugh. I had to fight off a shudder with that thought.

"Job well done, for the most part," Carlisle murmured, smiling at me. I frowned. For the most part?

"What do you mean, for the most part?" I asked, my voice rising in alarm. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no," Carlisle rushed to reassure me. "We just still need to get her to the hospital. There are things that still need to be done, the baby needs to be cleaned—that kind of thing. It would be much easier and faster done at the hospital."

My frown didn't waver. "Well," I huffed, crossing my blood-stained arms, "I delivered the baby. Now you can take care of what's left." I wearily eyed my blood-stained night gown that Emily was wearing—the bottom half, where her hips were.

Carlisle arched a perfect eyebrow, but the look in his eyes told me he understood. I did most of the work; now he has to do at least this.

I herded everyone out the door, except Sam, leaving them with the doctor. We waited until finally I was called up to help them get Emily and the baby downstairs. Well, I just held the baby while they got Emily downstairs. Then we drove to the hospital.

The drive was silent, all of us in separate cars. Meaning that Sam, Jacob, Emily, Milagros, and the newborn all sat in our new car, and the others drove over in their own cars. I don't know where they kept them hidden so that Jake and I wouldn't see them, but it must've been a pretty good hiding place for us not to see it.

Finally arriving at the hospital, things went into a blur of motions and events that I almost couldn't catch it all. Emily and her son were whisked away with Dr. Cullen, and Sam was asked to stay out, which wasn't the best thing to ask him. The nurses were a little too timid when they came over to him, avoiding his gaze as much as possible and slightly cowering down.

Not that Sam noticed; he was too busy staring after his wife and son as they were carried away down the hallways. My heart ached for him.

About an hour after they had gone in, Dr. Cullen came out to see us.

"She's going to have to stay overnight," he told us.

"What? Why?" Sam asked, sounding panicked. I didn't blame him; we were all on edge, waiting for news on Emily and the baby.

"Nothing's wrong," Carlisle said, probably hoping to dispel out worry. It did… somewhat. "It's just to make sure nothing does go wrong. Home births sometimes have… bad end results, in which cases the infant can become ill, or even the mother. The mother usually faces higher risks to infections, and such things. So to prevent that, she'll have to stay… maybe another day or two. Is that alright?"

Sam would never leave.

We all nodded our heads vigorously; none of wanted anything to happen to Em. We loved her and the baby—already—too much.

"Meanwhile, I suggest you all get home and try to sleep, for it is very late now. I'm sure some of you will want to get cleaned up." Carlisle may have said _some_, but I knew he just meant _me._ I was a bloody, sweaty mess; but that didn't matter to me. What mattered was that Emily and the baby were alright.

"I see that look on your face, Serenity," Dr. Fang said. Did I imagine the wryness in his voice? "Go home and shower. You look like you just murdered someone. Unless you want a frightened passerby to call the police, I suggest you high-tail it home and clean up. Emily isn't going anywhere, and neither is the baby."

"Oh, please," I scoffed, crossing my arms. "This is Forks, Dr. Cullen. The 'police' you speak of is Bella's dad. He knows I wouldn't murder someone."

"Have you two even officially met?" he asked. I bit my lip, thinking back. Hmm… uh…

"That's what I thought," he said, and this tie I knew I wasn't imaging the wryness; it was accompanied by a wry smile. "Go home. I promise you, nothing is going to happen in the hour and a half you are gone."

Huffing out a breath, I nodded. He was right after all, no matter how much I wouldn't have admitted it. I needed to change and shower. It wouldn't take me long.

Jake tossed me the keys to the car and, blowing him a kiss, I walked out of the hospital to the car. Dawn had Milagros, and her baby bag, so that at least was taken care of. I would be right back.

~00~

Two hours later, I was back in my car, showered and dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers. Hey, I'm only eighteen. Still technically a _teen._ I'm not old enough drink, after all, right?

I had texted Jacob earlier before I left the house to ask him what had happened while I was gone. He'd texted back that nothing had happened, nobody had been allowed to see them yet, and that Milagros was sleeping in her carseat and had already eaten. The news relieved me somewhat, but I would find out what else was new soon enough.

I made it to the hospital, parking near the entrance, and climbed out of the car, dashing toward the entrance. In my hurry to get in the hospital, I hadn't noticed that a person was in front of me—I smacked right into him. My life can never be so simple, can it?

Because I'd been walking so fast, fast enough to be quickly jogging, the impact was hard enough that I was knocked backwards, landing flat on my butt. Thankfully this patch of concrete was dry, so I wouldn't spout my tail in public—especially not in front of this stranger.

"Ah! Oh God, I am so sorry!" I exclaimed as I fell. The stranger had his hands on my forearms, holding me up a little so that only a little bit of the seat of my pants touched the ground.

"No, it's alright, it wasn't your fault. Are you okay?" The stranger's voice was deep and pleasant, right now tight with concern. His arms were strong and dependable as they helped me up from the ground. They seemed reluctant to let me go as I slid them out of his grasp to dust off the seat of my jeans.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" I trailed off as I looked up at him. I hadn't been able to get a good look at his face, but now there was something strikingly familiar about him. He had brown eyes, black hair that curled around his ears and fell in his eyes, and an easy smile that I remembered from a long time ago. He was taller than me by far, almost as tall as Jacob. And suddenly everything clicked into place.

"Alec?" I squinted up at him. "Oh my God, Alec, is that really you?"

The stranger jerked his head back, but then moved in closer to squint right back at me. "Serenity?" he said slowly, as if testing the way my name sounded on his lips. He shook his head, and then hesitantly brought his hand up to my face. He swept away a lock of hair from my face and tucked it behind my ear.

His tender touch unnerved me, but I didn't let it get to me. His fingers traced my jawline, tilting my chin up to look at him, as if seeing me in a brighter light would help him remember me. I glanced down at his hand even though I couldn't see it, and smiled my trademark smile at him.

His own face broke into a smile at the sight of mine, and I knew this was Alec, _the _Alec of my childhood.

"Serenity!" he said my name again, this time in a happy tone. "It's been years! My God, you look so different…"

I shrugged indifferently. "Yeah, well, that happens. How've you been? How's college? I ran into your dad the other day, I remember he told me you were going to be here for vacation or something like that."

"Yeah, actually. I've been pretty good. I can't complain. I mean, I got to see you, didn't I?" He gave me a happy grin. "I'm actually here for an internship. A Dr. Cullen is going to be showing me the ropes around here. Hopefully I can get a job here. Be closer to family, you know?"

I nodded, grinning. I crossed my arms over my chest and rolled my weight to one hip. Alec hadn't taken his hand form my face, and it was starting to get a little weird. I took his hand nonchalantly in both of mine loosely, slapping his palm in a friendly way. He squeezed my hand and swung it left and right, and then let mine go. I knew he'd gotten the message.

"Whoa," he said suddenly. His eyes were locked on my arms, which were still stained red. I may have taken a shower, but blood doesn't always wash away, especially when you've been in it for a while like I was. My hands and forearms were stained red with Emily's blood. Thankfully there weren't any stains on my face.

"What happened here? Did you somehow get a really bad sunburn or something? 'Cause that's something I can treat right now," he said, trying to sound nonchalant. He almost accomplished it.

"Oh, no, it's just—I'm fine, this is just—blood." I said the word abruptly, realizing a little too late my stupid mistake of telling him. "It's a long story," I added at his bewildered expression.

"Ah," he said knowingly. Then, "Enough about me, though. What about you? How've you been?"

"I have been great, actually," I said, a grin already taking over my face. "In fact, I just got married two weeks ago." I held up my left hand, showing him my wedding ring. He stared at it, pretending to look at it thoughtfully, but I saw through him. He'd gone tense at the mention of being married.

"That's… great," he said, but we both knew it was half-hearted.

"Yeah, and my niece is my daughter, and Austin has a girlfriend. Things are going good so far. I'm gonna go to college with my husband soon."

"Okay, two things. One, what do you mean your niece is your daughter?"

"My cousin left her with me, so she's technically going to be my daughter once I get paper filed and stuff like that. The legal stuff."

"I see," Alec looked like he was biting back a smile at my careless tone. "And two, do I know him?"

"My husband?" Alec nodded. "I don't think so. I don't think you've ever met Jacob. Do you wanna meet him? He's here now?" I wasn't really sure if I wanted to introduce Alec and Jacob, but I felt as though it would be rude not to at least offer.

"Uh, no, thanks, maybe some other time. I actually need to get back to work. My first job is some lady who had a home childbirth. It seems like some sort of test on my knowledge, 'cause I don't really know much. But I'm making it so far. It's not so difficult. Whoever delivered her baby and helped her really must've known their stuff. I hardly had to do anything at all when they brought her in." Alec shrugged, smiling a half smile at me.

"Emily?" I blurted out in surprise. His patient was Emily? Here was my chance at insider information!

"Yeah." Alec's brows scrunched together. "How did you know that?"

"I delivered that baby! Just a couple of hours ago, in my house, on my bed, in my room. That's why I have all these bloodstains on my arms. How is she? Is she alright?"

"She's fine; she's in perfectly good condition."

"And the baby?" I asked anxiously. I almost had to choke the question out of my throat, I was so worried.

Alec hesitated for a second, but that second was all it took. I grabbed his hand in both of mine and brought it to my face, pleadingly.

"Please, Alec," I begged. "Tell me what's going on. I need to know."

He let out a conflicted breath, and then squeezed my hand reassuringly. "He's alright," he said finally. "Everything's perfectly fine. There aren't any problems with anything; nothing to be worried about."

I let out a relieved gust of air. "Oh, thank God."

"So, I guess I'll see you around?" Alec said, walking backward to depart.

"Yeah," I nodded my head. "Thanks. See you."

"See you."

And then he turned and left.

I let out a content and relieved sigh. The night air was strangely humid for Forks; but then again, it was summer. Mosquitoes and moths buzzed around the lights of the hospital, and I decided now would be the right time to get back to my family. I turned to the doors and suddenly halted in surprise.

Jacob was standing a little ways beyond the entrance door, staring at me through the glass. I began to smile, but then I saw the look in his eyes. That look told me what I'd already guessed.

He'd seen everything between Alec and me.

And he'd taken it the wrong way.

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><p><strong>And CUT! I stop here. I am especially proud of this chapter because it is the first full chapter, reasonable length chapter that I've written in just one day. :D Finally! This is good progress. <strong>

**Anyway, please tell me what you think! I know it's shorter than my other chapters, but trust me; that's a good thing. Please review! They make me write faster! :)**

**Ciao!**

**~Alee V.**


	9. Godfathers Rot, Life is a Rollercoaster

**I'm back! I've gotta say, I think I'm getting into a little routine of sorts with my writing. I write one chapter, then immediately write the next one for another story, spend a few days there, then start the ****_next _****one, and so on and so forth. I take about a day's break within each chapter, though. It's necessary. I need to charge up my batteries!**

**Anyway, Thanks to my reviewers for reviewing, you guys are awesome! I have come with the new chapter of Hanging in the Balance, which is a real treat for me, and for you.**

**Introducing, for the first time ever, ****present tense in Jacob's Point of View. **

**Read on and please review! Enjoy.**

* * *

><p>I sit in the hospital waiting room anxiously, my palms slightly sweaty, my leg shaking up and down on the floor. Serenity has been gone for about an hour and a half now. Not that I'm rushing her or anything. I mean, being soaked in blood can't be comfortable.<p>

Even so, I'm wishing for her presence, her steadiness beside me and in the grip of her hand in mine. I am going insane at being separated for only an hour. That must be a sign of something.

Something hits me hard in the shoulder, and I am jarred out of my thoughts with the pain. I whip my head around, glare already in place. Leah glares right back at me, fist poised for another punch.

"Tapping your leg like that isn't going to make the time go by any faster, moron," she snarls at me. I am just about to snarl back at her, but then Jared pipes up.

"Yeah, man," he says from across the room. Kim sits on his lap, chewing her fingernails vigorously. "You're making _me _nervous."

Obviously this is worse than I thought. Jared almost never gets nervous.

"Imagine how _Sam_ feels," Dawn mutters beside me. She sits hunched over in her seat, elbow on her knee to prop her chin up. She's rocking Milagros to sleep in her carrier with her foot.

I exhale a tired sigh. "Sorry," I say. I give them no explanation, and they don't ask for one. Everyone's attention is solely on waiting for news about Emily and her baby. I can't help but notice how significantly calmer everyone was when Serenity was here. Things feel more certain, calmer, and optimistic with her around, like there was a better chance things would go right. Serene. Just like her name, she infuses a degree of serenity and amity and assurance when things are tough and bleak.

_God, when will she get back?_

I decide I am too anxious and impatient to be sit still, so I get up to go walk around.

"I'll be back," I mutter. No one pays me any attention as I make my way to the elevators. I punch the button to call the elevator and wait for it to come, impatiently.

On the first floor, I continue my pacing, ignoring looks from the receptionists. After a few seconds, they continue packing up to leave, annoyed at me for the disruption. I feel a little guilty, so I walk a little closer to the glass front wall where the entrance is.

And then I see her. She stands outside before the doors, looking—no, squinting—up at another taller guy. There's recognition in her eyes and expression. Her lips form words that I can't interpret, but I think it's a name. The man, a tall guy in a doctor's uniform, jerks back, and then leans in closer, squinting at her, too. His lips form something, too, and I know this time that it's her name.

_Serenity._

My face grows hot and my hands clench into fists as he brings up a hand and tucks away a lock of hair behind her ear. Her eyes flicker toward it, and her expression turns careful and uncertain for a second. He tilts her head this way and that, as if to see her in a better light, and her face suddenly breaks into a wide smile. _My _smile.

He smiles at her, too. "Serenity," I think he says. Who is this guy, putting his hands on my wife? And why isn't she telling him to _stop?_ I'm just about to move and go out there, but then Serenity grabs his hand casually, pats it twice, and then drops it. He takes the hint, and I'm glad. I really don't want to make a scene; we'd get kicked out of the hospital for sure, and Serenity would _not _be happy with me.

She's still smiling, though. That smile, the one she usually saves for me and anyone else really close to her; a warm, relaxed, mischievous, lopsided grin, higher in the left corner of her mouth.

They engage in a short conversation, and at one point—a point I feel very proud in—she shows him her left hand, the wedding ring on her third finger. She looks proud and happy to have it there. He smiles and comments about it, but even I can tell he doesn't really mean it. Irritation flashes through me.

He starts talking casually about something, but I can't hear it because I'm still inside. Serenity nods along, smiling at him with a… happy twinkle in her eyes. Just as I start to feel a sinking feeling in my chest, her entire expression changes. Her eyes widen dramatically, and her jaw drops; she looks surprised and hopeful.

Her lips move rapidly, asking questions probably. He answers her, and she asks another question, but he hesitates. She suddenly grabs his hand and brings it to her face, looking at him pleadingly. Her lips move again.

He answers her; his answer must be what she was hoping for because she looks relieved, the tension leaking from her body. She lets him go, and he starts to walk backwards to leave, and she nods, smiling at him. She hugs herself, looking up at the sky, relief evident in her expression. Then she turns to come inside and halts suddenly when she catches sight of me.

She beings to smile, the corner of her mouth lifting a little, but something in my expression must not be right, because she freezes like that and just stares at me.

Serenity frowns and walks inside, coming to stop before me. I stand there, looking down at her as she stares up at me.

"Any news?" she asks finally. As if nothing out there had happened. As if it didn't matter.

_Maybe it doesn't,_ a little voice says in the back of my head.

_Or,_ the meaner part of me says back, _maybe it really does mean something and she's trying to change the subject._

_She's your wife,_ the other voice argued back. _She wouldn't do that to you. She loves you._

"No," I say, before the argument in my head can go any further. Serenity shakes her head, the line between her eyebrows deepening.

"So you haven't heard anything while I was gone? Nothing at all?"

"Not a thing."

She exhales sharply, rubbing her forehead tiredly with the back of her hand.

"So who was that?" I ask, nodding toward the doors where they had talked. She glances over disinterestedly.

"An old friend of mine," she answers in a dismissive tone. "He works here for Dr. Cullen as an intern, I guess. Guess who his first patient is?"

"I don't know; who?"

"Emily Young Uley."

My eyes widen and my eyebrows shoot up. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," she nods emphatically. "That's why I was out there talking to him. He said the baby's fine, and so is she. I must've done _something_ right, then."

"What's his name?" I ask her, trying to sound casual. I'm not sure I fool her, though, by her expression as she eyes me.

"Alec," she says. "Well, Alexander, really, but I call him Alec. I met him the first time I went to visit my mother's gravesite. His dad found me looking lost, so he took me to his house where his wife made their boys cheer me up. I haven't seen him in years."

"Oh."

She looks over at me, giving me a weird look. "Yeah, 'oh'. What did you think was going on?"

"Nothing," I say; but I sound too defensive, so she sees right through me. Sometimes I really _hate_ how perceptive she is. She knows me too well.

"Uh-huh." She rolls her eyes.

"So," I try to change the subject. "Maybe we should get upstairs. I know Milagros probably woke up again. Dawn was trying to get her to sleep when I came down here."

Serenity's face brightens and she nods at me. "Yeah; let's go."

Up on the second floor, we step out of the elevator. Immediately when everyone sees her, the atmosphere of the room changes. Gone is the worrying, weary, restless taste that everyone carried; it's instantly replaced with hope, optimism, brightness; all because Serenity is here.

"Hey, guys," she greets everyone in a hushed voice. The silence is too heavy to want to break.

Everyone smiles a little, relieved that she is here at last. They all greet her back, and she moves to sit next to Dawn. Milagros is in her carrier still, but the blanket starts squirming and moving when Serenity sits down. As I sit beside her, Serenity lifts up the blanket to reveal a wide-eyed Milagros squirming inside.

The infant's eyes lock on Serenity, and the instant they do, she smiles a cute, toothless baby smile. Serenity smiles right back at her and reaches in to take her out. She settles her in her arms, easing the pacifier in Millie's mouth.

"Hey, baby," Serenity murmurs. "Did you miss me?"

The baby gurgles, almost as if in answer. Serenity chuckles, clicking her tongue as she rocks back and forth in the chair. Caring for children comes so naturally for her; she would have no problem raising Milagros at all.

"Excuse me, who is here for Mrs. Uley?"

Every head snaps up; under any other circumstances it would've been comical. But it's not.

The moment of truth has come.

"Uh, we all are, Doctor," Serenity answers. I can tell that everyone is glad she took the lead. Hell, I'm glad, too.

"Right, well, we just wanted to let you know that she is doing absolutely fine," the doctor said; the relief in the room was palpable. "She will just have to stay another two nights, just to be sure that nothing goes wrong. All right?"

"Yes," she says, grinning. She is standing up, with Millie in her arms. She looks like a mother already; for a moment I have to blink and rub my eyes. How things change…

"Wait," she says as if she just remembered something.

"Yes?"

"Can we see her?"

The doctor hesitates, and Serenity says, "Her husband has been waiting for a really long time. Can _he_ at least see her? Both of them?"

"I suppose you can all see her," he replies, eliciting a hushed cheer from us, "but you must all stay quiet while you visit. The baby is in there, and the mother needs her rest. She's supposed to sleep in about an hour, if she hasn't already. By the way, who delivered the infant?"

"Oh, I did," Serenity says. She frowns. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Oh, no, surprisingly. Have you had any experience? About anything like this?"

"No, not at all. I only know how to bandage scrapes and some deep cuts, and how to clean them. I've never delivered a baby before." Her voice is so honest, so sincere you can't doubt it.

"Hmm," the doctor eyes her appreciatively. "Well, good job."

And with that, he walks away. Serenity follows him, and everyone gets up, taking her lead. He leads us to a hospital room with a curtain drawn halfway through the room to cover a bed on the far side of the room. In it sits Emily, looking much better than she had back at the house a few hours ago.

She looks up at us and smiles, eyes searching for Sam, who stand in the back. He pushes past me, kneeling by her side and taking her hand.

"How are you doing?" Emily asks him.

"Shouldn't _I_ be asking _you_ that?" Sam laughs tiredly.

Emily laughs with him. "I guess so."

"Hey, Em," Serenity says. Emily turns her head, her smile widening.

"Serenity," she breathes. "Thank you so much, Serenity. I can't thank you enough for what you did for us. I can't repay you enough, either—,"

"No, Em, you don't have to repay me," Serenity interrupts. "I did this for you and for Sam Junior. That's more than enough payment."

"Nonsense," Emily scoffs. Everyone laughs softly.

"So where is he?" Leah says from somewhere behind me. "I wanna see my little nephew."

"Right here." Emily places her hand on a cart I didn't see before, and everyone comes to crowd around it.

Inside lies a small baby, swaddled in a blanket, resting peacefully. His tiny eyes are shut, and I think he's sleeping, but his eyes open suddenly as if he feels us looking down at him. His arms, which are out of the blanket, flail in acknowledgement of our presence. There's a green pacifier in his mouth, and he sucks on it vigorously.

"Isn't he the sweetest?" Emily says, her voice swelling with motherly love as she gazes at her son.

"He is," Kim agrees, smiling down at the baby.

"Alright, give him some space to breathe," Sam says; his words are joking, but his tone is not. Protective of his son already. I feel sorry for the boys who try to bully _this_ kid.

"So what are you gonna name him?" Jared asks.

Emily's expression turns thoughtful. "Well, Sam and I had talked names a bit before he was born, and I think we settled on one that we both really liked." She looks at Sam. He nods.

"So his name is… Elijah Samuel Uley."

Appropriately, everyone 'oohed' and 'ahhed'.

"Elijah," Serenity mused. "I love it. It fits him so well, doesn't it?"

"Well," Emily smiles crookedly, "_I_ think so."

"By the way, Serenity," Sam says suddenly, "we couldn't think of much of a way to thank you for helping us and delivering Elijah"—he smiles—"but we talked about it when you went downstairs to tell everyone about him."

"And?" Serenity asks uncertainly.

"We want you to be Elijah's godmother," Emily answers, making it sound like an offer.

Serenity's jaw drops open, and her eyes grow huge like saucers. "_Really?_ Me? Be his… oh my God. Oh my _God_! Yeah, yeah, of course I will! Wow, thanks you two, really, I appreciate it so much…"

She stops there; the lump in her throat gets too much for her to talk over. A happy tear slides down her cheek, and she reaches up to swipe it away. She laughs thickly, looking down at Elijah in his cart. He stares calmly back at her.

"Leah," Emily says; she holds her free hand out to her. "Leah, come here."

Leah complies to her command silently, crossing the room and taking Emily's outstretched hand.

"We want you to be his second godmother, Leah. We know you'll do a great job; look at Seth. Not a bad bone in his body, that boy. Will you be his godmother, too?"

Leah, like Serenity, looks surprised. "Oh my God… Uh, yeah, yeah sure. I'll—I'll be his godmother…" she trails off, shock taking over. Leah—speechless for once. What a sight to behold.

"What, no godfathers?" Paul says jokingly. Emily rolls her eyes.

"He will have enough influence from you _without_ you being his godfather, Paul. Any of you," she adds, looking at each of the pack individually. We duck our heads.

"But godmothers spoil!" protests Seth, who stands beside me with a frown on his face.

"Yeah, and godfathers rot," Serenity retorts. We all laugh.

"So, is that the verdict, then?" I ask, talking about the two-night stay.

Sam nods. "Yep," Emily replies. She doesn't sound happy, but not totally unhappy, either.

"This is going to be a long two days," Paul says.

~_Two Days Later~_

"Ready to get home, Mrs. Uley?" The nurse says, wheeling in a vacant wheelchair. Serenity and I stand by the door; we are driving them back to La Push.

"Absolutely, Carol," Emily says fervently. She is dressed in loose sweats and a tank top, her feet covered in polka dotted socks. She holds Elijah in her arms in a bundle of blankets; I feel sorry for the kid, as he must be hot in there.

Carol rolls Emily out into the hallway and into the elevator quickly. Serenity and I follow. On the first floor, Carol wheels her out of the hospital and gestures for us to lead the way to the car. It's a bit of a struggle to get them into the car, but we manage it, and Carol bids us a good night and goodbye.

The sun is long gone from the sky when we make it back to La Push. I've just stopped the engine when Sam and Emily's door bursts open, and everyone tumbles outside. What they're doing, I have no idea, and neither do Serenity and Emily from the looks of their faces.

"What the hell is going on?" Serenity muses out loud.

"Hell if I know," I say. I open the car door and get out, coming around to open Emily's. I help her out, and Serenity gets Elijah out of his carseat, carrying him over as we walk together up the driveway.

"WELCOME HOME!" Everybody shouts. Serenity spins around and hunches slightly over, as if to shield Elijah from everyone.

"Serenity, are you okay?" I ask, sounding a bit worried. And I am—she doesn't usually do that kind of thing…

"I am," she says crossly, "but Elijah's not! You guys aren't supposed to be so loud around him! Everyone from here to Port Angeles could hear you!"

As if on cue, Elijah lets out a loud, long mewl; I recognize this as his signal of the beginning of a fit. I remember hearing him go at it once when Serenity wasn't there at the hospital—taking care of college stuff and Milagros—and he was so loud when he cried. It took a while to make him stop, but he did eventually. He could go on for a _long_ time.

Instinctively, Serenity starts bouncing him gently up and down in her arms, patting his bottom and shushing him gently.

"See-what-you-did? Sh-sh-sh…" She says the words in time with her shushes and bounces, somehow managing to make it sound accusatory.

"Sorry," everyone whispers loudly. She just rolls her eyes. They wave at her and Emily to come inside, and they do, though I have to help Emily because she is still new at trying to walk again after child birth without any medical equipment or drugs.

Inside are banners that say things like, 'WELCOME HOME!' or 'IT'S A BOY!' and 'CONGRATULATIONS!' There are even some blue balloons lying around the place. Sam steps forward and takes Emily out of my hands, welcoming her home in his own… way. Not images that I need.

"Welcome home, honey," he says after they break apart.

"Oh, I feel welcomed, alright," Emily replies.

"O-kay!" I say loudly so I don't hear anymore. "What's going on, now?"

Sam and Emily look at each other with thoughtful expressions. They turn back to me. "You guys can all just go home, now," Emily says.

I raise an eyebrow. "Really? You're just going to kick us out like that?"

"Well, I'm already home, and welcomed," she explains in a dismissive voice, "So you've all done your job. Thanks, really, I appreciate it, but I kind of just want to spend some alone time out of a hospital with my husband and son." She grins at the word "son."

"What? So all of this was for nothing? Really? You're going to do that to us? After all we did for you—and my wife delivered your son! We deserve—,"

"We deserve nothing!" Serenity says over me; she claps her hand over my mouth to cut me off. "Really, Jacob. They made me this kid's _godmother._ That's more than I could ever have hoped for. They deserve some alone time, anyway. Time to bond with their newborn son."

She hands Elijah over to Sam, who grins down at his son with pride and love. Something in my chest squeezes, but I don't know why. Maybe because Sam barely knew him for three days and already loved Elijah so completely, when I've known Milagros for almost a week and haven't even held her _once._ I don't know; it's just weird holding someone else's kid, let alone raising it because her mother didn't want her anymore.

But that wasn't right, either. Grace _did _want her; she just couldn't provide for her, couldn't give her the chance at life that she deserves. I know that. I just don't know what's wrong with me. It isn't like Serenity hasn't tried to get me to hold her; I've always made convenient excuses not to. She's noticed; she doesn't know why I won't hold our niece. It just feels… wrong.

"Let's all go home and get on with our lives," Serenity finishes, and I realize I just missed an entire speech. I nod, if only to look like I was paying attention, but I know I don't fool her. Her smirk says it all.

"Alright, I agree. Come on, people; I have a life to get on with," Paul says, puffing up his chest proudly.

"What life?" I snort; He punches me hard in the arm as I laugh, and I rub it, wincing in pain. We all file out of the house, saying our goodbyes as we go; I see Serenity hug both Sam and Emily, and she leans over to kiss Elijah's forehead before she walks quickly over to me and holds my hand in hers as we walk out the door.

The ride home is quiet, thoughtful. Milagros and Dawn sit in the back, and Millie makes idle gurgling noises and coos throughout the ride. Everyone is sleepy as we pile out of the car and into the house. Dawn goes to the downstairs guest room. Serenity had offered her the guest room because she didn't have anywhere else to stay. She'd accepted, saying she would clean up after herself and stay out our personal business. I knew that the last one was strictly to _her _definition of business. Forget what we thought; she is just too much like Serenity, who finds the loophole in everything.

Serenity and I go up the stairs, and Serenity puts Milagros in the second room up there; we put all of her stuff in there; clothes, toys, and furniture. We haven't painted it, but I know Serenity wants to soon.

I stand in the doorway of her room, watching as Serenity puts the sleeping baby in her crib. Milagros stirs slightly, whimpering softly. Serenity shushes her gently, patting her little back gently, since she was lying on her stomach. She murmurs to her softly, little assurances and affectionate words. She looks so beautiful in the dull glow of the heart-shaped pink nightlight, helping her niece to sleep.

"Goodnight, _amorcito,_" she whispers lovingly. I envy how she loves Milagros already after barely finding out about her less than a month ago. Loving has always seemed to come easily for her. She finds the best in everyone.

She walks out of the room, taking my hand and leading me to our room. She shuts the door behind us. We change into our pajamas, me in my boxer shorts, and she in her shorts and tank top. In bed, she lies on her stomach and I lie on my back, staring at the ceiling.

"Life is like a rollercoaster," she says suddenly. Her voice is loud in the darkness of our bedroom.

"Really," I say. I wonder what she must have been thinking of to make this declaration.

"Yeah; our lives were spent readying ourselves for the big rollercoaster, riding the little kiddie rides until we were old enough for it. We'll go up, up, up until we reach the very top, and then it all comes down with all the loops and twists and turns until it stops and reaches the end."

I offer no other comment, silent for a minute. "So what now? What happens to everything now?"

"Now," she says, propping herself up on her elbows to look at me. She pauses, and leans over and presses her lips to mine in a sweet, loving kiss.

"Now, our rollercoaster begins."

* * *

><p><strong>So… what do you think? It was finished in two days, a new record! Please review, and would you mind coming up with TWO GIRL NAMES AND TWO BOY NAMES please? <strong>

**Thanks! **

**Ciao!**

**~Alee V.**


	10. Not an Update Please Read

Hey everybody, this isn't an update; sorry if you thought it was. I'm gonna just come out with it: I'm on computer probation. Meaning that I will be torn from my computer, NOOK, and MP3 player until the end of the year. A whole FREAKING THREE MONTHS. That means no updates for... a long while. I know this is unexpected and cruel, but you can thank my mother for it. Any probation and lack of updates you can thank HER for.

It breaks my heart because I was so freaking close to making it up to a close point on a lot of my stories, but apparently my mom just LOVES to punish me. She says she's sorry, but I can see it in her eyes; She's not. She never is. I have just enough time to write and post this up because she just went to work.

Lately my brother and I have been nothing but disappointments to her. I don't mean to spill my whole life story to you guys; you don't wanna hear it. I won't be on here until 2013, or unless God decides I've learned my lesson, and makes my mother give me my stuff back.

If and when I ever get the chance to type or post a chapter on a story, I promise I will. I'll keep writing in journals, and stuff. At the chance, I will post. It won't be for a long while, yet, though, so don't get your hopes up. This is absolutely heartbreaking for me. I am so, so sorry. This is going on all of my fanfics, jsyk.

I'm going on a withdrawl on everything; Reading, Writing, Web-surfing, and worst of all, MUSIC. It's all gone. Just like that. I'm crying as I type this.

So, with that said, I say goodbye to you guys. See you next year.

-Alee V.


	11. First Days and Guilty Ways An update!

**Okay, guys. I have a bit of time. The date is 11/2/12 and I am starting this chapter for HITB. I don't have time the way I used to, but hopefully mom will give my stuff back sooner. Again, please don't stop checking on the story. I may update at the most random times, but I write and update when I have chance. **

**Anyway, here we are in HITB. Enjoy this chapter! :) Don't forget to review!**

**Read on.**

* * *

><p><em>~Five Years Later~<em>

"Wake up, Millie," I said softly. "It's the first day of school. See why I told you to go to bed early, now?" When I got no response, I shook her shoulder gently. "Come on, baby. Get up."

The little girl rolled over in her bed toward me. She gave a sleepy yawn, and peered at me with one bleary eye through the tangled mess of her dark hair. "School time?" she said questioningly in her soft little voice.

"Mmhmm," I answered. "And I have school, too, so I'm going with you. Come on; let's get you dressed."

You must be wondering about a lot of things over there. Let me catch you up:

Five years have passed since Jacob and I got married. Elijah was born and Leah and I were named his godmothers. In the five-year time skip between that, you missed quite some things. Milagros and Elijah are now five years old (Well, Milagros is turning five; Elijah has a couple months still) and Jacob and I are twenty-three. We are _not_ old. We're younger than most of our friends, anyway, the old farts. Just kidding. Leah and Austin are still going strong (the boy refuses to propose to her, claiming he's waiting for her to make sure she's ready; and trust me, she's ready) and so are Emily and Sam. Our families are fine, just fine. We've been doing pretty great.

Jacob and I both went to college, close to home so we could take care of Milagros and live in our own house. The two cars we had were perfect for that arrangement. I graduated with a degree in teaching and teaching credentials, and Jacob is establishing his own mechanics shop. We bought a little shop down in the rez that was empty and for lease, so that wasn't a problem. He gets pretty regular customers. I've been teaching for almost a year already, but was recently sent off to another school because of budgets and all that; my niece's school, to be exact. I was going to start working there today.

Unfortunately, I was cut off during the school year, and for some reason their kindergarteners started way later in the year than the rest of the students. Here we were in December, Millie barely beginning her kindergarten year, and me barely starting my half-and-halves in the middle of it. I was going to teach both the kindergarteners (Millie's class) and the seventh, eighth, and sixth grade classes. I was taking part of the time, after their lunch time break when my kindergarten shift ended. All of that in one day.

I also taught dancing lessons at the center in Seattle on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I did as much as I could to build up a college fund for Milagros. Besides, I might need the money for other things, too. It never hurts to be prepared.

Dressed in a purple turtle-neck and blue jeans, Millie was ready for school. I was dressed in a turtle-necked long-sleeved red dress with black leggings underneath and black Ugg boots to match. It was close to Christmas anyway; and also Millie's fifth birthday. I already had the perfect gift for her: A porcelain carousel with circus animals that played music when you twisted the knob in the back. She always stared longingly at it whenever we passed by the shop that had it for display in the window when we shopped in the mall. In my mind, it had her name on it from the day I caught her looking at it.

"You want cereal for breakfast, or oatmeal?" I asked her as I sat her down on one of the stools at the island in the kitchen downstairs. She gave another yawn, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Oatmeal."

"Got it." As I fixed it up for her, I made an extra bowl for myself. We would be heading into the same classroom; I was her teacher, so I would see her from eight-thirty to twelve-thirty, and then I would drive her off to Emily's so she could watch Millie and Elijah (whom I also teach and drop off) while I went to the junior high and high school about a block away and teach the seventh, eighth, and sixth graders. That was our scheduel for the days. Pretty nice compared to some.

Just then, Sasha, our Siberian Husky, trotted into the room. Sasha has been with us since Millie was almost a year old. She actually kind of named him; they were the best of friends. All she could say at that age was "Sha"; and so we named him Sasha. He is so protective of her it's not even funny. You can see how much the dog loves that baby girl. There's a bond between them so strong, literally unbreakable. We'd gone to a shelter one day, intending to get something like a Lab, or a Golden Retriever; a well-trained, common dog. But the way Sasha - just a puppy then - looked at us longingly as we passed his kennal made me stop. I'd felt drawn to him, as though there was an invisible string connecting us to each other; we're close, too. Not as close as he and Millie, but still close.

"Sasha!" Millie exclaimed in delight when she caught sight of him. He barked softly in greeting and jumped up onto the stool beside her, licking her chin. See, that's another thing; Sasha is a very smart dog. He's very conscious of us, very considerate of everyone; he knew to be quiet when people were sleeping, where to scratch the door when he wanted to be let out, and how to remind us of certain things we've forgotten. When I had a dance show one night at the center, I almost forgot to bring the music; right as I walked out the door, Sasha barked real loudly, getting my attention, and nosed the CD case in my direction. I'd dropped to my knees and kissed the dog's snout, I was so thankful.

I really love that dog.

I smiled at Sasha in greeting, not even objecting at his sitting at the counter. He usually made it a habit to be wherever Millie was; whether it be at the table or on the couch. But he always slept at the foot of mine and Jacob's bed for some reason; almost as if he was more relaxed in our room, or our presence. I don't know; just a dog thing, I guess.

"Morning, boy," I said to him. I grabbed a small plastic bucket from a nail in the wall and reached under the sink where we kept his dog food. I scooped out some food and poured it into his silver dog bowl near the sliding back door out of the 'C' formation of the kitchen. He lithely leaped onto the floor and started eating, chomping at the little marble-shaped pieces. "There you go," I told him. "Eat up. Millie's not going to be home until _way_ later, so you'll be alone for quite some time."

Sasha snapped his head up to look at me, and I promise you on my sharpest knife, the poor dog looked shocked and surprised. He even let out a little whine. "Hmmmph?"

"Yep," I nodded. "You heard me. We won't be back for a long time."

Before I could say anything else, another voice spoke up behind me. "Talking to the dog again, Serenity?"

I turned around, a dirty look already on my face to be sent to the person. Dawn stood leaning on the kitchen archway, arms and ankles crossed as she looked at me with a sleepy half-smirk on her face. She was clad in only a tank top and shorts with a robe thrown sloppily over it, her hair a knotted haystack on her head. I rolled my eyes at her.

"We ought to take you to the nuthouse," she continued through a yawn. "You would be quite the patient."

"At least I don't look like one," I retorted, eyeing her with a smirk gracing my lips.

This time it was her turn to glare. "Whatever." She turned to Millie, who was almost finished eating her oatmeal. "Morning, sweetie. How ya feelin'?"

"Good," the five-year-old mumbled around the gooey breakfast. She swallowed, her throat making the gulping sound. "Why are you awake?"

"Are you kidding?" Dawn put a hand over her heart in mock shock. "I wouldn't miss my neice's first day of kindergarten! It feels like only yesterday you were out of preschool. Time flies so fast!" She then put her hand over her eyes dramatically, palm up.

I rolled my eyes, but smiled nonetheless. Dawn was very happy and uppity around Millie; she tried so hard to set a good example for her, to be good so that Millie won't think she's a bad person. Dawn felt that she could be a bad influence over Millie if she continued with her bad habits. At the age of nineteen, Dawn had almost gotten arrested for DUI; luckily, she hadn't been driving, so she wasn't arrested. But the looks she got from everybody the morning after was too much for her to bear. She'd vowed that day that she would never drink again, and that she would be a good aunt to Millie and set her life straight.

The past four years she's been great with. She hasn't touched a beer bottle in all that time, and she doesn't go to parties at night and wake up passed out and tousled on our couch anymore. She really has been _good._ I've never been so proud of her; she managed to turn her whole life around and keep it that way for four years straight. A really big acheivement, if you ask me.

"You're not coming if you plan to go dressed like that," I told her, looking her up and down pointedly. Dawn glanced down at her pj's, and turned and jogged up the stairs. Five mintues later, she came back looking considerably different. The transformation looked like it had taken much longer than five minutes; She'd dressed in jeans and a turtle-necked blue shirt with brown knee-high boots on her feet. She also managed to fix her hair; it cascaded down her back in a glossy brown curtain, straight yet softly curving inward at the ends. She even did her make-up; blue eyeshadow and lip gloss.

I didn't really wear make-up, limiting myself to just using lip gloss, chapstick, or concealer for those occasional sleepless nights. (Think about it... you dirty-minded people, you.)

"Better?" she quipped, turning in a circle for me. She looked cozy and warm and winter-ready.

"Much." I grinned. "Okay, babies, let's eat so we can go. Dawn, you're bringing the other car, right?" I asked as I walked back into the kitchen to finish eating my oatmeal.

"Yeah." Dawn fixed herself another bowl of oatmeal, too. She leaned next to me on the counter, joining me in my thoughtful silence as we ate.

Ten minutes later, we were grabbing our stuff - Millie her backpack, Dawn her purse, me my big bag - and walking out the door, locking it behind us.

"Jacob's not coming?" Dawn asked quietly, her tone wry and devoid of humor.

I lowered my gaze to the concrete, swinging my keys around my index finger. "No," I said, even quieter than her. Even at that volume, anyone could hear the unhappiness and shame in my voice.

No matter what I did or said, Jacob refused to do anything with Millie. I thought, five years ago when I told him I was taking her in, that they would get along great, that he would love her every bit as much as I do. But the older she got, and the more it seemed to sink in for him that she really was legally ours, the more he seemed to want nothing to do with her. When she was a baby he never wanted to hold her. He never offered to feed her, or put her down for naps, or change her diapers. The most interaction he's ever had with her was babysitting - mental wince - her for me when I had a late night at the U. And even then when I got home the first thing he did was thrust her into my arms.

He's just never wanted her. And I never knew why. I still didn't know why. It's just this big mystery that I have yet to solve. He left her all to me. Well, Dawn and me, but still. Jacob didn't want anything to do with her. I'd talked to him last night, tried to convince him to come with us to her first day of school, but he refused. No matter what I said (and threatened) he just would not do it! Gosh, I hate when he gets so stubborn. It grates on my nerves so badly, but I put up with it. If he wanted me to know why he didn't like Millie, he would've told me. And maybe he would, soon.

I really hoped he would.

"I didn't think so," Dawn sighed. She sounded as resigned as I felt.

We got into our seperate cars and drove out and into Seattle. The drive took us a few hours (which was why I woke us all up so early) during which I turned on the radio and sang along with the songs playing, making faces and gestures that I was sure made me look retarded to other drivers, but were so worth it; Millie's tinkling laugh from the back seat made me want to do it a million times, so long as I heard that laugh.

Finally, I arrived at the school, pulling into the nearly-empty parking lot. There were a few cars in the lot, but it was okay; it was still pretty early. I cut the engine and got out of the car. I came around the other side and unbuckled Millie out of her carseat, holding her hand as we made our way over to Dawn. Together, we walked across the lot and into the office.

A middle-aged woman with gray streaks in her hair and a kind, round face sat at the front of the room in front of her computer, typing away. She glanced up at us and smiled a plastic smile at us, folding her hands under her chin. "May I help you young ladies?" she asked in a sugarcoated voice.

"Hi," I greeted, stepping up to the desk, "I'm a new teacher here, I'm supposed to be starting today. My daughter - I mean, my neice is a new student also. I was told she would be one of my students."

The receptionist smiled, a little more genuinely this time. "Oh! Yes, you're the new one! I thought I recognized your face. I'm Carey, the receptionist. I can help you find your class room, if you'd like?" she offered.

I smiled and nodded. Finally; hospitality. The other schools I'd applied to had all been robotic and monotonous; stiff and without warmth. I didn't get a tour or anything. I was expected to know the layout of the place already. Thankfully I never took those jobs. Glancing at the receptionist again as she led us out of the office, I was glad I didn't.

"So over here is the playground, where the kids play during recess and freeplay, if you decide to give it to them," she said, winking at me as she said the last part. She was pointing to a fenced area in front of the brick building that I guessed the class rooms were in. It was a pretty vast space for a playground; the slides, swings, and other equipment took up a lot of the space. There were stations for other activites the kids could do; a painting station with an easel and some paint jars, a sand box, a chalk and white board with markers and chalk sticks. There was even a little shack with bikes and scooters that they kids could play with.

A free amusement park, basically.

"And over here are the class rooms," she continued, pointing at the brick building I'd looked at earlier. "The kids will line up along the brick columns; Boys on one side, girls on the other. You will be teaching in room three." Carey stopped us at the end of the short hall in front of a door; the plaque next to the window had the number three on it. "This is your key." She presented me a small magnetic-lock key, black and about the length and width of my thumb. I took it with a smile.

She continued the tour for another five minutes, quickly showing us the bathrooms, the inside office enterance, and the lunch room for the kids. I would eat in the teacher's lounge, Carey told me. I was glad I'd brought myself some lunch, then. After the tour, Carey retreated back to her desk in the office, right after handing me my 'need-to-knows'; "The list of teachers you can call if something gets out of hand, or you need help doing something. Then you have your attendence-slash-names list..."

I was all set after that, and so was Millie. She held my hand the entire time, and once, when I'd put two fingers to her wrist subtlely, her pulse had been faster than normal. She looked so small and uncertain when I glanced at her. I squeezed her hand and she squeezed mine back.

"Well," Dawn said finally, and we both turned to her. She hadn't talked all through the tour. "I'm gonna head back to the house. My shift doesn't start 'till noon today, so the cafe won't be missing me. I'd still like a few more hours of sleep, though." She said these last words conspicuously, looking at us with raised eyebrows.

"Well, okay," I said, coming closer to give her a hug. "See you later, then. I'll stop by the cafe after work."

"See ya." She kissed the air by my ear and I did the same. Dawn then hugged Millie, promising to see her later and telling her she loved her. She turned and left, waving as she did so.

When she was gone, I turned to Millie. People were staring to gather outside the classroom, kids and parents alike, the parking lot filling up now as it crept closer and closer to eight o'clock, the beginning of the school day. I couldn't see if Emily and Elijah were here yet.

"Well, baby," I breathed, trying to keep my nervousness down. "It's almost time to let everyone in. Why don't you go outside and see if you can find Eli, huh?"

"Eli" was just a nickname that Millie had given Elijah when they were younger. She couldn't say "Elijah" so she just said "Eli."

At the mention of Elijah, her eyes lit up. She nodded, her light brown ringlets bouncing up and down around her face. She let go of my hand slowly, as if letting it go would hurt my feelings, and then walked toward the door; back straight, chin held high, like a tiny soldier. She waltzed right out of the classroom, her backpack thumping against her backside.

_Well,_ I thought to myself. I took a deep breath, and started to dig up my teacher stuff out of my bag. _Time to get started._

_~0~_

Ten minutes before the starting bell rang, I opened to door to let kids and their parents inside. I stood in the doorway, watching them run around and chatter excitedly to each other on the playground. Parents were leaving and arriving, hands wrapped around their children's smaller one. When I opened the door, parents and kids lined up and gathered around the doorway, waiting to come inside; although I also suspected, from the curious glances from other parents, that they were also curious to see the new teacher.

I smiled at them. "Good morning," I greeted them cheerfully. "As you all probably know, it's ten minutes 'till the beginning of school. I would like to take that time to get to see my students and answer any questions from parents if you have any for me. I will introduce myself to the students when school begins, so if you would all like to come in and get out of the cold, you're welcome to."

I stepped out of the way, and people shuffled in, looking around curiously and 'ooh'ing appreciatively. I'd decorated the room with decorations I'd brought in my bag, and I'd had time earlier in the week to send over the necessary games and equipment that I had to contribute for the classroom. Just a teacher thing; I've done it before. The kids went over to the four long tables that were placed horizontally in the room facing the windows and sat in the chairs that were placed on the sides of the tables; on the tables in front of the chairs were name tags with the kids' names on them. The little ones ran around, trying to find their names, whooping when they found them and "aww"ing when they weren't sitting next to friends.

I smiled; typical kindergartener behavior.

"Excuse me?" I turned around. A couple was standing behind me, their child holding their hands in between them. The mother had spoken to me, so I turned my attention to her, smiling.

"Yes? How can I help you?"

"I'm Lara Delaney, Scott's mother," the woman said, holding out her hand to shake. I took it, pumping it up and down firmly.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Delaney," I returned. "I'm Serenity Black. Was there something you needed?"

"Oh, no, I just wanted to introduce myself. And, I also wanted to let you know: Scott has asthma, so he can't run around too much. If you could keep an eye on him, make sure he takes a break every ten to fifteen minutes, I would really appreciate it." She spoke sincerely, her expression apologetic.

My face contorted in concern. "Oh, yes, of course! I will definitely do that, yes. Does he have any medications? Have you run them by the nurse so she can put that in his records?"

Mrs. Delaney's face was pure surprise. "Were we supposed to do that?" she asked, glancing at her husband. He looked just as mystified.

"Well, only if he has to take it daily, or every hour or something like that. If it's only as needed, it should be fine. You wouldn't have to run it through her."

"Oh, okay, then. It's only if he has trouble breathing or starts coughing a lot," she said, looking immensely relieved. I nodded, smiling again.

The couple shuffled away with their son, and it was then that I realized I was surrounded by other parents and some of their kids. They were gathered around me in a half circle, in front of me.

I glanced at them, smile still in place. "Did anybody else have any questions regarding medications or something else?" I asked.

"How old are you?" a small voice asked from below. I glanced down. A little girl, who only came up to my hip, with brown hair and curious green eyes stared up at me. She had freckles splashed across her nose, and her red shirt brought them out as if they were drawn there with marker.

I cleared my throat. "Intereting question," I said, "but I'll answer. I'm twenty-three."

"Is this you're first time teaching?" An older person this time. A man, burly and gruff, with a dark stubble dotting his chin, and light blond hair shaved close to his scalp.

"No, sir, this isn't my first time teaching. I used to teach in Port Angeles, but then I transfered over here."

"I hear you have a little one yourself in here," a woman with grey streaks in her black hair said to me from the back of the group. Her eyes watched me with scrutiny.

I half smiled at her, crossing my arms. Rumors. Nothing gets by them. "I don't know where or who you heard that from, but yes, it's true. She's right over there." I pointed to the table nearest to the back of the room where I'd be teaching with the white board and stuff. Millie was sitting in her seat, the first one on the list and the first on at the table. She was chatting excitedly with a little boy; the boy had tan skin, long dark hair, and was wearing jeans and a sweater vest, his black converse the only things that established him as my godson. After all, I was the one who bought them for him.

Elijah was already here at school, which meant that Emily was, too. And sure enough, she pushed her way through the crowd to the front, grinning at me happily.

"Morning!" she greeted me. "I just got here, and I gotta run. I'll be home when you drop them off, don't worry. See you later." She hugged me and kissed the air beside my ear, just as I did the same. She pulled away and raced out the door before I could say anything to her.

"My, uh, sister-cousin-in-law," I explained to the crowd. They all looked confused. "I have another job at the high school after this as part time for seventh and eighth grade, so I have to drop off my niece and godson at her house during my lunch break."

The confusion cleared. Just as I was about to say something else, a happy cry filled the room, cutting me off.

"Nina!"

A small body suddenly crashed into my legs, swaying me slightly to the right as Elijah hugged me tightly. Holy crabbit, he scared the crap out of me! My heart was slightly faster as I picked him up into my arms, resting him on my hip. I smiled and laughed softly as he kissed my cheek with a loud popping noise.

"I missed you, Nina!" he exclaimed excitedly into my ear.

"I saw you yesterday, Eli," I told him, shaking my head in mock disapproval. The four-year old shrugged as if to say, _What can you do?_

Indeed.

"Besides," my tone turned warning, "what do you call me when we're in the class room?" I looked at him sternly.

He glanced up at the ceiling, thinking. "Mrs. Black!" he exclaimed, puffing his little boys' chest out proudly. I smiled, all traces of sterness gone.

"That's right. Now go play while you can." I set him down. He ran off to talk to Millie again.

And so I continued talking to the parents. They asked the normal questions; asking about my education, a few questions about my family and life with Jacob, which I answered vaguely. Interesting questions people asked now-a-days.

Finally, the bell rang. The parents cleared out, and thankfully, I didn't get any cryers; meaning that none of the kids started crying at the sight of their parents leaving them here with me. My experience with them was still fresh in my mind. It's truly heartbreaking to hear a child cry for their mom or dad. I shiver just thinking about it.

The kids all settled in their seats. I came up to the front of the room and sat in the little chair that was provided for me; this one had wheels, so I was able to roll to and from my desk and the carpet circle. Convienient. I sat in the chair, legs crossed, hands clasped over my knee. I smiled sweetly at the kids.

"Alrighty," I said, "good morning everybody!"

"Good morning," they parroted in unison.

"My name is Mrs. Black. Welcome to kindergarten. Raise your hands if you went to pre-school."

Several hands went up in the air; most of everyone, except for a few in the back. I nodded, assessing. At least most of them had an idea of what I was going to teach.

"Great, that great," I grinned. "So, most of you guys know your A-B-Cs, right?"

There were murmurs of agreement and disagreement. I nodded again. I had my work cut out for me.

"Well, today, we're going to review them! Does anybody know what review means?"

Millie raised her hand. I bit back a smile. Of course she knew; she lived with _me. _I taught her a lot of things before she started school. Nothing too advanced, but since she had a little speech problem, troubles pronouncing and saying certain words, I taught her a few things in advance.

"Yes?" I called on her.

"To go over them again," she said. The certainty in her voice was cute and endearing. She smiled proudly and hopefully at me. She knew not to call me by my name; we'd also gone over "teacher-student" rules. She knew the deal about favortism. I explained it in not so many words, but she got it. She was a smart kid.

"That's right! So, who would like to start?"

Elijah's hand went up in the back, along with several others. I fought the urge to sigh. Here we go...

* * *

><p>"Okay, you two," I said to my niece and godson as they hugged my goodbye, "Be good, don't cause any trouble. I'll be back later to pick you up, Millie, so we can go see Aunty Dawn, okay?"<p>

"Okay, Serry!" she chirped, grinning up at me.

Serry was a nickname she had for me. She couldn't say 'Serenity' obviously, so she called me Serry. Everybody picked up on it, so instead of Renity, I'm Serry. I guessed it was an improvement... Although it'd be weird to be confused as an Apple app for an iPhone 4s...

"Bye, baby!" I walked out of Emily's house and climbed into my car, backing out of her driveway and driving away. I'd just finished my shift at the elementary school. Now I had to go to the high school to do my second shift for the seventh and eighth grade class. Their original teacher had anxiety problems, and seven hours with class after roudy class was working her up just a bit too much. I was there to relieve her after lunch, when the classes are at their most roudiest.

I didn't mind. I've been told I have a _serene_ effect on people. Wink, wink. For those of you who didn't get it: think about it...

An hour and a half of driving through traffic later, I was rushing through the parking lot to get to the school office. I ate a few bites of lunch in the car, so that wasn't a worry. But I was going to be late if I didn't make it in time. What a first impression that would make, huh?

Luckily for me, I made it with five minutes to spare. I got my lists from the receptionist in the office, and found my classroom without trouble. The principal was in there, and I got there just in time to hear him say something about me.

"This teacher has two jobs, one at the elementary school, and one here. You're lucky that she would even accept such an informal arrangement! The contract usually doesn't bend so much. But we really needed her." He glanced at the door and caught sight of me. His face broke into a grin, but before he could call me inside, a student asked him a question.

"Is she old?"

The principal glared at the kid; I couldn't see who it was, but I thought it was a boy. "Yes," the principal said cuttingly, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "She is _very_ old."

Score one for this guy. Sarcasm. I like that.

"I told you so! Dude, you owe me five bucks!"

Ugh. I resisted the urge to drag my hand down my face. Obviously sarcastically challenged, that boy.

The principal seemed to think so too. He rolled his eyes. Then, he held a hand out toward the door, almost waving me in, but not quite. "And now," he said, excitement rising in his voice, "I present to you, with honor, your new teacher, Mrs. Black." His fingers twitched, and I walked inside.

The effect I had on the room was immediate. The kids were _stunned._ I was obviously not what they had expected. Boys gawked at me, girls stared at me admiringly and enviously, and I just stood there, half-smiling at them mutely. The effect was always different, depending on the crowd. It was almost like I had some kind of calming aura; but that couldn't be possible. It just isn't. Right?

"Welcome, Mrs. Black," the principal said, reaching out a hand to shake. I took it with a smile.

"Thank you, Mr. Allenson," I replied, releasing his hand. Was it me, or did I see reluctance on his face? No. His face changed too quickly for me to tell. "I feel very welcomed."

Eh, not really, but I had to be polite, right?

"Well," Mr. Allenson said, sounding a bit uncomfortable, "I'll leave you to it, then. Good luck with this bunch." His last comment was followed with a disdainful look thrown over his shoulder at the kids as he left. Well; harsh. The door closed behind him with a click.

I breathed out a breath and turned to face the kids. Thirteen, fourteen-year-olds, maybe even fifteen, stared back at me. I smiled, and the air seemed to become less heavy.

"Hey, guys," I said, quiting the formality. "I'm Mrs. Black, like he said." Ugh. How do I start this? "I'm gonna tell you guys a few things about me, if you don't mind, just so you can sort of get to know me, alright?"

"Definitely not old," a voice whispered from the corner of the room. A boy, about fourteen years old, was covering his mouth with one hand and whispering into the ear of another friend. My super-hearing had caught the whisper as if he'd spoken through a mic. A huge plus that helped me teach.

"Yeah, I'm definitely not old, Mr..." I glanced down at the list of names and seats in my hand. Oh. Very interesting. "Allenson." I raised an eyebrow at him. The others turned to look at him; he blushed, sinking in his seat. His cheeks turned redder at being singled out.

How interesting. I had the principal's son in my first class. Well.

"Where should I begin?" I asked myself. Then I started. "Well, I live in La Push on the cliffs and own horses. My house has a grand backyard that I go out in all the time. I live with my husband - yes, I'm married," I said sternly when I heard moans of complaint.

The nerve these little pervs had!

"As I was saying," my pointed tone made them sit up straight in their seats. "I live with my husband, my cousin, and my niece. My neice is legally mine, the way a step-daughter would be. I don't have any children of my own, yet-" I broke off for a second, my hand instinctively fluttering over my flat stomach.

I really wanted a child of my own. But we first had to take care of bills and funds and things first. Jacob was determined on that. I knew he was right about it; that's why I haven't pushed the issue.

I cleared my throat to cover up my pause. "I own a Siberian Husky, his name is Sasha. My neice named him." I smiled at the memory. A hand flew up from the back of the room, calling my attention.

"Yes?" I called on the girl.

"Do you have any pictures, like, of your husband, or your niece or cousin?"

"Psh, forget them, I wanna know about the dog!" Another person said, a boy this time. He had dark skin and brown eyes, much like the girl.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Don't mind him; he's a dog freak."

I smiled, my nose crinkling a little habitually. It was just a habit thing I did when I found something funny, or endearing or cute.

"Yes, I do have pictures," I answered. I rummaged inside my purse, letting out a small yelp of triumph when I found the pictures. There was one of Millie and Sasha together on the couch watching a movie. One of Jacob and me about to go out on a date. Another of Dawn and me in our normal pj's - tank tops and shorts - on the floor of the living room, going through candles. We were just being weird with the candles, lighting them and putting them in the kitchen and the bathrooms. I hadn't realized up until that day how many candles we actually had in the house.

I passed the pictures around, continuing to talk while they went around.

"Uh, I have one older brother, he's in med school right now, just about to graduate. He'll hopefully get a job over in the Forks hospital, closer to home. I'm so proud of him right now. Here's a pitcure of him and his would-be fiancee if he ever got the nerve to propose, too." I passed it to another student. "My Dad saddly lives by himself, but he's alright. He visits me a lot, or I visit him. My mom died when I was really little, just six years old. I still remember things about her. I look just like her, by the way," I said jokingly. People laughed, and I grinned.

"That's pretty much all I have to say," I concluded. "Anybody have any questions?"

A hand went up. "What's your real name?"

"My real name?"

"The name you had before you were married."

"Oh, you mean my maiden name," I laughed. "It was White. My maiden name was White."

"Racist!" A little voice in the back of the room said, and I laughed along with them.

"Yeah, I went from White to Black," I played along. "And once you go Black, you never go back!"

The kids laughed. I felt a little uncomfortable saying it, but it was just for laughs, nothing serious. "Okay. Any other questions?"

"What's your first name?" a girl in the back of the room asked.

"My first name is Serenity," I answered.

"Why did your mom call you that?" another girl asked. I looked over at her and raised an eyebrow. Everyone started snapping at her, but she just ignored them, staring steadily at me with a hint of chagrin in her eyes. I had to admit, that was pretty admirable.

"You know," I told her, "I never got the chance to ask her that. Like I said, she died when I was little. I was too young to think about anything except what I was going to draw next, or what book I was going to read for my reading log, or even when I was going to go into the forest with my Jacob again-" I broke off, eyes going wide. Did I really just say _my _Jacob?

"Awwww!" the girls and some guys crowed.

Yes. Yes, I did.

They got into a whole crescendo of noise before I finally called it off. "Hey, settle down, please! You guys have to behave, or I won't be nice anymore. I function two ways, according to what you give me. I have a 'Give and Give' system. You guys give me good behavior, I'll be nice and make your lives easier. You guys give me bad behavior, and I'll make your lives miserable and drown you all in homework and your own tears. Got it?"

They nodded, stunned. I shifted my lips into a cheery smile, changing the atmosphere like a switch. "Any other questions?"

"Who's your Jacob?" Someone said in a sing-y voice. I rolled my eyes, smiling despite myself.

"My Jacob is my husband," I said, leaning back against the desk. "I used to always call him that when we were younger. I've known him since forever, since we were born. We've always been there in each other's lives. We're best friends, forever and always, and now we're married." I shrugged.

The pictures came back. I tucked them back into my purse safely. Turning back to the class, I cleared my throat. "Unfortunately, since I came so late, I can't waste a day on introductions and stories and stuff like that. You guys actually have work to do. So, I'm gonna give you that. From what I understand, you guys are reading a story currently, right?"

And English class came and went. History class came and went. And finally, my elective came.

The students filed in through the open door, my name making more than one appearance in many whispered and shouted conversations. It wasn't surprising that I was the talk of the school. I mean, what teacher takes a half job at a highschool for just three periods at the end of the day? Apparently, me. They shuffled to their seats, their chatter dying down as they realized I was staring at them pointedly. They nervously cleared their throats; I could tell this wasn't the reaction or greeting they were expecting.

That's what they get for expecting.

The tardy bell rang, and that was when a boy, about fifteen - my elective had kids from freshmen to seniors in here - ran through the door, breathing hard. His cheeks were flushed, though I could see a bright red mark on his cheek. I mentally winced. The punch must've hurt.

I stood up, and he froze, his eyes darting to me. He took me in, eyes roaming from my head to my feet, assessing me. I walked toward him, and he seemed to prepare himself to say something, but swallowed it when I reached around him to close the door. I looked at him with understanding. Smiling slightly, I patted his shoulder reassuringly.

"Go sit down," I whispered to him. He was tall, almost as tall as me, with pale skin and an athletic, slim build. His hair was black, and curled around his ears, falling into his dark eyes. His mouth twitched gratefully at me, and he turned on his heel and sat in his seat, in the middle of the room. The class stared, at him and at me. I looked them down, daring them to say anything about it.

"Hello, everybody," I said to them. "I'm Mrs. Black, as I'm sure you've heard. Quick intro, I live in La Push with my husband, neice, and cousin, I have a dog named Sasha, named by my neice, I own horses, and my favorite color is purple. In case you cared."

I walked back and forth across the front of the room, wishing I had pockets to stick my hands into. "Now, I know my elective is music-slash-choir-y type stuff, so would somebody explain to me if there's some equipment I have to go get, or some room we migrate to, or if you're supposed to bring it yourself..." I trailed off as a hand went up.

"Those of us who wanted to play music with an instrument bring them, and those who want to sing don't bring anything," the boy said. He was blond and obviously tall, from the way he slouched in his seat with his mile-long legs sticking out from underneath the desk.

I nodded, my mood lifting. I was so sure I was going to have to guess my way through this, or worse, call another teacher for help.

"Okay, then," I said, clapping my hands once. "Raise your hands if you have an instrument."

Seven hands went up into the air.

"Singers, raise your hands."

Twenty-three hands went up into the air. My, these kids were confident. Or lazy.

"Musicians, have you got your instruments?"

"We keep them in the cabinet over there." A girl in the corner pointed behind her, toward the ceiling-high cabinets. Ah; all right, then.

"Go get them, then." The students shuffled out of their seats, silently getting their instruments out of the cabinet. I was surprised the cabinet was open. I wouldn't leave my instrument in a school in an unlocked cabinet. They're too special to me.

"Mrs. Black?" I turned to the girl with her hand raised. "Do you sing or play an instrument?"

I smiled. "I do both. I play a lot of instruments. Piano, guitar, flute, violin, drums... all of those." I shrugged. "My mother always wanted me to learn them, so I did. My brother didn't exactly excel in that department, anyway, so." I smirked. "It worked out well."

"Will you ever play and sing for us?" another student said in the back.

Again, I shrugged. "Maybe one day. My cousin likes to sing, too. Maybe I'll bring her in and we'll do something. Freestyle, like we used to." I laughed softly, remembering the freestyling we used to do when we were bored in college. The lyrics we came up with... ugh. So shudder-worthy.

I noticed that the boy from earlier hadn't raised his hand at all for either option. I glanced at him, watching as he sighed heavily, looking boredly around the classroom. His eyes met mine, and he quickly looked away, staring out the window. What was up with him? Was he okay? Upset over what happened before class? Maybe he just didn't like doing either one. I knew some kids got placed into an elective if there was a full one in demand.

I grabbed my names list and looked over the seating chart. Apparently his name was Cameron Brighton. He seemed like the quiet, reserved type; not quite shy, but not really out-going either.

"Everyone ready? Singers, musicians, for the next ten minutes, you're going to warm up. Musicians, I assume you know how, otherwise you wouldn't have an instrument. Singers, you all know the M&M warm up, right?"

Twenty-seven blank faces stared back at me. "Warm up?" one boy spoke up. "We don't warm up. We just sing whatever we want. That's what Mrs. Tyler made us do."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me? You guys just - sing like that? No way. Okay, warm up first. Again, do you know the M&M warm up?"

They shook their heads at me. The musicians snickered. I shook my head, grinning in disbelief. How could a teacher let her students go along like this? It just wasn't right.

"Okay, we'll go along with the keyboard. Repeat after me, and then someone will take over keyboard duty when you all have it. Sound good?" they voiced their consent. I walked over to the keyboard underneath the window sill, and tapped a key.

"Momma made me mash my M&Ms," I sang in the same tone as the key. The singers repeated after me. I pressed the next key. "Momma made me mash my M&Ms." Again, they did the same. I did it again a few more times, and then handed it off to someone else.

I sat down in my seat at my desk, surveying the musicians and singers as they practiced and warmed up. The only one who hadn't moved was Cameron. I bit back a smile. The strong and silent type, indeed.

I did something that surprised me then: I stood up, walked around my desk, and sat down backwards in the desk in front of his. He looked up, startled; I don't know who was more surprised that I was there in front of him. I shook it off, though, and rested my elbows on his desk, laying my chin down on them so that I was looking up at him. He regarded me quietly, almost skeptically.

"Hey," I said casually.

He frowned slightly. "Hi," he mumbled.

"What's up? Why aren't you practicing or warming up?"

Cameron shrugged, avoiding my eyes.

"You don't know?" I guessed, sounding sad. I tilted my head to the side in sorrow. "Hmm. Well, what do you usually do, then?"

He shrugged again. "Sit. Stare. Breathe. And then leave when class is over."

This is seriously breaking my heart.

"But this is music class," I said, "you can't just do nothing!"

"I do," he answered; he looked me straight in the eye, as if daring me to contradict him, or say anything about it. My spine stiffened, the wolf in me stirring. I recognized a challenge when I saw one. And this was definitely a challenge.

I held his gaze with ten times the intensity, raising an eyebrow. He kept it up for a few seconds, but then he looked away, his cheeks coloring as he stared into his lap. The wolf inside me howled in triumph at gaining dominance in this round. My muscles relaxed, and I searched in my head for something to say.

"Well, doing nothing hurts your effort - and your grade. You have to do _something._ Otherwise, I can't give you your points for the day, and your grade drops. Are you sure you want to risk that? Your grades are your ticket to a better life, to getting out of here and moving somewhere else exciting, like - I don't know, New York or something."

"Really." Cameron looked at me. "If that's true, then why are you still here?"

I recoiled a little, taken aback by his question. How could he ask me something like that? This kid...

Though, still. His question lingered in my head. "Because," I said slowly, "I have a family here. I have my life here. I can't just leave."

"So you're stuck here," he said bluntly. "You went to school here; you had the grades, the credits, the money - and you chose to stay here. All because you have _family_ here."

"I have people I care about here," I said curtly. "And my choices are none of your business. I was born and raised in La Push. My family was born and raised in La Push. I stay there because I want to."

But suddenly, thoughts started pouring into my head. Thoughts I really didn't want in there. What would've happened if had chosen a different path? What would my life have been like if I'd never married Jacob? If I'd gone to Stanford University? If I'd lived in New York? If my mother hadn't died?

No. I can't think that way. I chose this life. I made this life. I'm happy! I'm so fortunate; I have my cousin, my loving husband, my neice, my grandparents and father. My brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law. My bestfriends. I had everything. So why was one question from a loner boy making me think twice?

"Of course," Cameron muttered. "You _want_ to. Have you ever considered the fact that maybe your _wanting_ is confused with _having to_?"

I glared at him. "I'm not having this conversation right now. My personal life is none of your business."

"And mine isn't any of your business either," he returned.

"I never asked about your personal life. I just wanted to know what you do in this class. But now I know. Since you refuse to do anything of your own volition, you can do an assignment." I stood up, smiling sweetly at him as he stared up at me with his jaw hanging open. I walked over to the window, grabbing a dictionary from the cabinets under the sill. I came over to him and dropped the dictionary on his desk.

"You can do dictionary work. I want to see at least twenty words from the letter S by the end of the period. No exceptions." I turned and walked back to my desk, feeling bitterly satisfied at having the last word. Cameron stared at me as I sat down at my desk. I stared back, my eyes narrowed. _Thirty-four minutes,_ I mouthed.

Cameron looked down at the dictionary, sighed heavily, and grudgingly grabbed his stuff from his binder.

When the period was over, a full sheet of lined paper lay on my desk, microscopic words scribbled all over, front and back. _Cameron Brighton_ was written at the top.

_Hmm; Brighton,_ I thought to myself as I stood up from my desk. _Cameron Brighton. What will you do?_

"Class," I said out loud. The noise level decreased dramatically; everyone was so eager to get out of the school and go home. "I hope you guys are as good tomorrow as you were today. I rather like this class. I've always had a thing for music."

"Yet you became a teacher," someone whispered in the back of the class. Nobody else heard it, but I did.

"Yes, I became a teacher, Henry," I said directly to Henry; a redheaded, gangly kid, as pale as the rest of them, with big green eyes. His face reddened.

"How do you _do _that?" a girl in the front asked.

"I have ears like a wolf." My voice was deathly serious. I cast my gaze around the whole classroom. They all looked unnerved, trying to see if I was kidding or not. Unfortunately for them, I wasn't. But that didn't mean I was going to tell _them _that. As suddenly as a firecracker, I grinned, laughing at them.

"Y'all should've seen your faces!" I laughed. "You all thought I was serious?! Ha!"

The uneasiness in the room dissipated like mist. They laughed with me, their expressions melting into smiles. All except for one: Cameron Brighton's. He kept staring at me, as if trying to place me. He looked... suspicious. Like he was double-checking if I was real or not. Since I was still a bit miffed at him for our earlier conversation, I smiled even brighter at him.

I got the effect I wanted. He scowled at me and dropped his gaze.

"Have a good night guys," I said as the bell rang. The students shuffled out of their seats toward the door. "Do your homework, get some sleep, and expect a little something different tomorrow, alright?"

They murmured their consent. And that was when I heard it; the sound of my name being shrieked from a distance - a short distance. And not just my name - my _nickname. _

"Serry!" The students shuffled to a stop, confused. Oh, goodness. My eyes widened. I knew that voice. Correction: those _voices._

Eli and Millie appeared in the doorway, pushing and squirming their way through the kids to me, all the while still calling my name. I opened my arms to them, which they gladly jumped into.

"You little monkeys!" I cried in disbelief and joy. "What are you two doing here? I was supposed to pick _you_ up, little missy!" I tapped Millie on the nose, which was hard to do, considering I had another kid strangling me from the left side. I scooped them up into my arms, hoisting them onto my hips. The class looked at me, talking amongst themselves about my "little kids" and me.

"What are you still doing here?" I asked them, sounding incredulous. "Go on; git!"

They got.

A few seconds after they cleared out, Emily appeared in the doorway. The way her breathing was erratic, and her hair was sticking up in funny angles made me think the kids didn't just wander away from her accidentally like they'd said. They _ran._ Faster, apparently, than she could catch them.

"Elijah Samuel Uley," Emily said; for the record, she sounded pretty mad. "Don't you ever think of doing that again!"

Now, you would think that any kid facing their angry mother would be scared, or at least act scared if they knew what was good for them, right? Elijah wasn't scared of his mother at all. He seemed to have this idea in his head that he's got his mother wrapped around his little finger. And in a way, he kind of does. I secretly think he gets that kind of thinking from Emily herself, since she thinks and acts the same way with Sam. Except for the fact that she has Sam wrapped around her little finger for sure.

"Sorry, Mommy," he chirped sweetly. He flashed her this cheery, sweet smile; I could see Emily's resolve crumbling by the second.

"You better be sorry," she scolded without much conviction. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "So how was your first day of school?" she said to me. She frowned playfully, sticking her tongue out and making a gagging sound. "It feels _so_ weird to say that to a college graduate."

I laughed. "Uh, yeah. I do _not_ wanna hear that. I'm cool with being a teacher, but being talked to in student language? Gives me that torture feeling all over again." I shuddered. "It was pretty great for a first day at a new school. Especially since I've never officially taught highschool or junior high. The little ones were pretty good, really shy with it being the first day and all, but still. The older kids were surprisingly nice and considerate and... stuff."

I shrugged. What more could I say? There was the matter of Cameron, but that wasn't something I felt like broadcasting or complaining about. I'd rather just go to the cafe and meet with Dawn so we could go home again at five.

Which was exactly what we did.

By the time we got to Port Angeles from the highschool, it was about four thirty. We didn't have to wait long for Dawn's shift to be over so we could go home and enjoy the rest of the evening together. Dawn pestered me the whole drive home with questions about the kids at school, and Cameron - whom I told her about - and what I was going to make for dinner tonight.

"I don't know, Dawn," I told her as I manuvered into the driveway of our home. "What do you want?"

She didn't respond. I looked over at her. She was frowning at the driveway as if she found something wrong with it. I followed her gaze, and realized, with a sudden jolt of surprise, what she was frowning about. The dirveway was empty. Jacob's car should've been here.

"Where's your husband?" Dawn's voice was light and casual; yet forced.

"I don't know," I said; my voice was just as light. "Must be working late at the shop."

We both knew it wasn't true.

See, Jacob is never home late. At least without calling me first. He always came home on time before five o'clock, but he was _super _late today. I'm talking more than an hour late, here! So where could he be?

"I'll call him," I said. Dawn just nodded. I could tell she was trying hard not to feel pity for me; she knew very well how much I hated pity. I drove into the driveway carefully, grabbing my cell phone out of my purse. Millie sat quietly in the back seat, watching us.

I dialed the mechanic shop first. It went to voicemail pretty quickly. Before I called his cell phone, I climbed out of the car, grabbing my teacher stuff and Milagros out of the car. We walked into the living room. Probably sensing how strung up I was feeling, Dawn took Millie upstairs to play around while I called Jacob.

With my stomach churning slightly, I dialed Jacob's cell phone. It rang. And rang. And rang...

I blew out a sigh and brought the phone away from my ear, finger about to press the button, when suddenly I heard Jacob pick up.

"Hello?"

"Jacob." I resisted the urge to blow out a sigh of relief. "Where are you? It's really late."

I wanted to say more, but I didn't want to sound like a nag.

I heard Jacob sigh on the other end. "I'm on my way home from the shop. Why? It's only seven o'clock." He sounded a little out of breath, panting ever so slightly.

"I know, but you're usually home by five. It just startled me, you know?"

"What, do I have a curfew to keep up with, or something? Is that what you're trying to tell me? I _have _to be home by five o'clock everyday or I get in trouble?" Jacob's tone took a nasty turn, sounding mean and angry and so unlike him, it took me a second to formulate a response.

"No, I'm not saying anything like that, Jacob," I told him, my tone turning concerned. "Are you all right? What's wrong?"

He gave a breathless laugh, humorless and sarcastic. "Nothing's wrong, Serenity. Why does something always have to be wrong? Can't I just speak my mind sometimes? You can't always count on me to be home at a certain time everyday. It doesn't work like that."

His words stung, but they also sparked my anger. Why was he talking to me this way? What's his problem? He's never talked to me this way, ever. It was so unlike him.

"Are you drunk?" I asked bluntly. "Who do you think you are, talking to me like that? Do you have a bone to pick with me, is that it? Then you come here and say it to my face. Don't do this over the phone. What's the matter with you? Why are you so angry?" My voice softened with concern at the end.

"There's nothing wrong, Serenity," Jacob said. His voice had softened considerably as well. "Look, I'm about an hour away. I'll see you home in a little bit. Bye."

Before I could say anything, he hung up on me.

I stared at the phone incredulously. "Uh, bye," I said to no one in particular. "Ugh!" I threw the phone on the coffee table; it landed with a loud clank. I plopped myself on the couch, lying down horizontally so that I stared at the ceiling. "What the hell was that?" I wondered aloud.

I had no idea. He's never talked to me that way, _never._ No matter how mad he's gotten, he's never taken it out on me, either. I don't know what's gotten into him, but when he gets home, I'm gonna find out.

But, I reminded myself. I stood up and walked into the kitchen. Dinner first.

_~0~_

The front door opened and closed softly. A large, tall figure walked through the darkness toward the living room of the house. It walked past the couch without hesitating; its big mistake.

I leaped off the couch silently and tackled Jacob to the floor. I turned us around at the last second so that he landed on top of me; we didn't make so much as a thump of noise. However, I couldn't say my body was quite as good. His body weight knocked the air right out of my lungs. I stifled a wheeze, my back arching up into Jacob.

"Serenity!" he hissed in the darkness. He sounded annoyed, irritated.

"Where have you been?" My voice was dangerously level; a bad sign when it came to me.

"Working," he answered. But we both knew that answer wouldn't satisfy me. I pushed him up and off of me in one smooth movement; He landed upright on his feet. I jumped up silently, leaning over and turning on a lamp. The light made me look dangerous; I stood straight, head bowed slightly, arms crossed, eyes glaring.

"Don't look at me like that," he complained. I rolled my eyes.

"Answer the question," I commanded.

He heaved a great sigh, as if answering the question was more than he could take. He rubbed his face with exaggerated tiredness. "Look, it's been a long day," he began. "I'm tired. Can we just go to sleep without being mad at each other?"

"Hey, you started this with all your comments," I reminded him. "I just wanted to know where you were. I was _worried._"

Jacob turned his head and looked at me then; I will never forget the look in his eyes. There was something there, some deep feeling of, I don't know, regret, or _guilt._ It made my stomach drop; I expected the worst.

But he didn't say anything. He just came over to me and leaned down, pressing his lips to mine in a kiss. Automatically, I kissed him back, but there was something wrong about the kiss, something so completely _wrong_ about it; it scared me deeply.

His lips were cold. Jacob's lips were _cold._

He broke away, pulling me up the stairs with him. He was still dressed in his work clothes, and I was dressed in my pj's and a robe. In our room, we laid in our bed, the darkness covering us like a blanket.

"I love you," Jacob whispered in my ear.

I'd never heard a person sound so guilty.

* * *

><p><strong>HAH! OKAY! I FINISHED! FINALLY! WHAT DO U ALL THINK? TELL ME IN A REVIEW! I KNOW THIS TOOK FOREVER, BUT HONESTLY, I HAVEN'T HAD THIS LAPTOP IN FOREVER. I FINSISHED IT WHEN I COULD - WHICH WAS TODAY! <strong>

**FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO READ IT ON THIS DATE: 1/28/13; I'LL BE REVISING THIS CHAPTER, MAKING THE GRAMMAR AND SPELLING CORRECTIONS THAT I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR RIGHT NOW.**

**PLEASE REVIEW! THE NEXT UPDATE WILL HOPEFULLY BE UP SOONER (FOR ANOTHER STORY, I MEAN.)**

**Ciao!**

**~Alee V.**


	12. Bullying IS NOT COOL

***Peeks out from behind protective fort* Hey everyone….**

**Alright, I know, I know. I'm a horrible excuse for a human being—no need to tell me, I already know. I AM SO SORRY GUYS.**

**But—I'm back with another chapter! You guys were asking me questions about what Jacob did wrong that made Serenity so upset and him feel so guilty. You guys will find out LATER in the story. Right now, we're about a week or two after that night. **

**I may or may not have said this, but I got a tumblr! Y'all can follow me at: forever – musical – alee *dot* tumblr *dot* com. Just remove the spaces and add periods, and you're good. It's just a little page I made to keep in touch with you guys and to tell you I'm not dead, and the progress of chapters. Just stuff like that that I can't do on here. Okay?**

**Also, just know that I might be changing the URL to match my new Penname on Here. YES, I CHANGED IT. I was once ForeverMusicalAlee and now I'm Introvertedly-BrownEyed-Writer. We clear on that? Yeah. Okay. But for the next month or so, I'll keep it at ^^this one so it's easier. My profile picture is the same as the one for this account, so. Yeah. **

**So here we go—the new chapter of Hanging in the Balance!**

**REVIEW?**

* * *

><p>"So we all know that Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton had some really bad blood between them, right?"<p>

"Yeah."

"And why was this?"

Silence. Not a single person in the room raised their hand or responded. I huffed out a sigh and put my hands on my hips.

"Come on, you guys. The test is _tomorrow._ If you guys don't give me anything to work with, you will all fail. And I know for a fact that none of you can afford to fail this test." I slammed my fist against the hard surface of my desk; several students jumped, more alert.

"Come on! Jefferson and Hamilton: why did they hate each other?" I pointed at Jaylene, a girl with a big mouth who sat at the front of the class. "You're up. Why?"

She sat up straighter, stammering for a second. "Uhm, because they had different political views?"

I put my arms up dramatically, my expression one of mock pain. "Hallelujah! Extra credit for you. The first person to give me an answer—and it was right. Good job, Jaylene."

Protests arose—but one glare from me, and they all shut up. "Well, you all should've been participating! I know I called on her, but she actually answered me instead of saying 'I don't know' like I know most of you guys would have. So kudos to her; now she has extra credit for the end of the semester."

"Moving on," I continued. "What year was the Gettysburg address?"

Before anyone could answer, the dismissal bell rang. I rolled my eyes. "Pack up everyone," I said. "Don't forget to study _really _hard tonight. Seriously, I want you all to pass this test. I'll see you all tomorrow. Bye."

The students shuffled out of the classroom. I sat down at my desk, blowing a sigh through my lips. I checked my cellphone for messages and texts and found that Dawn had sent me one. She knew my school schedule so she always texted me during class transitions.

_Hey. I'm on my break now. How's it going?_

I replied, _Hey. Pretty good so far, I think the kids are tired. Next class is about to start. See you in an hour or two. :)_

Students started pouring into the room, so I put my phone away in my purse under my desk, and waited for the whole class to arrive.

I didn't have to wait long. The tardy bell rung and I stood up to close the door. I stopped half-way, though, when I realized that Cameron was not in his seat. _Again._ For the third time in a row this whole week, and the entirety of last week as well. Every time he eventually came in, he had a new mark on him—even when it didn't show on his face, I knew it was somewhere on his body. There was always something new.

From what I've heard of the rumors from the other students about Cameron and this continuous bullying, it's been happening since his freshman year. The kids just kept beating him up day after day; he fought back, apparently, but there was always too many of them. Nobody told me this with sympathy for him. They all said it as if they rooted for the bullies, as if he was too weak to take them on and it was amusing. They said he's told teachers before, when it first started, but they never did anything. He'd given up on asking for help a long time ago. It made me angry to hear that he'd gone through all that suffering and had nobody to help him.

It made me angry now to see him not in his seat. I marched up to the door, saying to the class, "Stay here and don't do anything stupid. I'll be right back. Punishment will be severe if anyone does anything, so stay seated and quiet."

I speed-walked down the hall, listening intensely for any noises that sounded even remotely close to a skirmish. There was nothing in the locker halls, so I tried to look in the bathrooms. I found them beating him up in the first-floor boys' bathroom; the sound of grunting and the muted thud of flesh against flesh alerted me to it.

I burst in there without a second thought, the door hitting the opposite wall with a really loud _BANG!_ The force of my push against the door must've been harder than I thought. My blood boiled at the sight that awaited me inside.

Three boys, obviously juniors and possibly jocks, were in there with Cameron; two of them were holding him against the wall in between two urinals, and the other, obviously the main bully, was punching him in the stomach with all the force he had. From the amount of redness in Cameron's face, this had been going on for quite a while. It only helped to fuel the fire within me.

"Hey!" I shouted. Not that I needed to—the force of the bang the door made against the wall when I'd barged in had made them look up in fear.

"_What are you doing to him? Let him go __**now!**__"_

They immediately dropped him, stepping hurriedly away from him and towards the door to escape. The only problem with that, though, was there was one thing standing between them and their getaway:

_Me._

"Where do you all think you're going?" I asked rhetorically, stepping in their way and making myself taller. "Do you really think I'm gonna let you go that easily?" Quick as a snake striking, I reached out and grabbed the fronts of their shirts. I leaned in close, looking them in the eye. "Names. Now."

"Jamie Strata," One of them stammered. His eyes were wild, trying to look anywhere but me.

"Kale Bower."

"Daniel Willis." This one was the main bully. I glared at him with rage in my eyes, the memory of him punching his fist into Cameron's stomach with a look of _enjoyment_ on his face replaying in my mind.

"I'll see all of you in the office after school. And if any of you decides not to come, then so help me, I'll keep searching for you day after day until something gets done about this. Do you understand me?"

They nodded vigorously. I released my iron grip on their shirt fronts; they scrambled to get out of the bathroom as fast as they could. I turned my gaze over to Cameron's fallen form on the bathroom floor where they'd dropped him. I came over to him and kneeled on the floor beside him, ignoring how dirty the floor was.

"Cameron?" I put an arm on his shoulder. My voice was soft and quiet, much different than the harsh and angry voice I'd spoken to those boys with. "Are you all right?"

He was gasping, still trying to regain his breath from all those hits. His hands were shaking, and his whole body trembled with pain and lack of oxygen. His face was a dark red, almost blue, and he began coughing violently, making everything worse.

"Try to breathe in slower, Cameron; I'm not sure how to help you." I helped him to his knees to crouch over. Luckily he took my advice and took slow breaths through his nose; the coughing stopped, and his face started to regain its normal color. I looked him over again; bruises on his face were all I could see, but I knew they'd done much worse.

"Cameron, I need to get a better look at the damage. May I?" I gestured to his shirt—more importantly, his abdomen.

He hesitated for a second, but then nodded his consent, still breathing in a slow pattern.

I scooted closer to him and lifted up the edge of his shirt. I had to close my eyes and turn my head away to block out the images and the emotions they dug up. Black, red, blue, green, and yellow bruises covered his stomach all over. Some were fading, most were fresh; but that didn't matter. What mattered was that they had happened, and they were there.

"What's… wrong with you…?" Cameron wheezed. I opened my eyes and looked back at him.

"Nothing's wrong with me; you're the one who's hurt. We need to get you to the nurse's office now. Can you stand?"

"I'm… fine… Mrs. Black. I don't need… to go to the… nurse's office."

"Like hell you don't. Come on. Put your arm over my shoulder, I'll help you." I came closer and gently grabbed his arm, pulling it over my shoulder. Effortlessly, I lifted him, my other arm around his waist to get a better grip on him. As we walked down the hallway slowly, Cameron wouldn't stop talking no matter how many times I told him not to.

"How did you find me?" he asked. His pauses were shorter now.

"I noticed you weren't in class, so I came looking for you," I replied.

"On the first floor? You came all the way down here—looking for _me?_" He sounded surprised, even with his wheezy, hushed voice.

"Of course," I said, thinking it was absurd that he would even question it. But then I realized—he had reason to. As mentioned before, this whole routine has been going on since his freshmen year; he's never had help with this before. His voice, his cries and pleas for help were never heard, only ignored. He probably felt like he wasn't worth it, like he wasn't important at all; like he didn't matter.

_And that isn't true,_ I thought to myself. _He matters so much. Everyone does, no matter how small they feel or think they are._

"Cameron," I spoke suddenly; he turned to look at me, seeming to come out of a trance. "You can always come to me for help. Always remember that, okay? Anytime you need me, I'm here. I know that this may be pretty weird and new for you, since you've probably never had help in this situation before, but I'm here to help you in any way that I can. _You're not alone._"

Something changed, then, in his expression. It was as if he was a cracked glass window, one tap from completely breaking into a million pieces; and those three words were the last tap he could handle. All of a sudden I wasn't holding up an angst-y, strong-silent type teenage boy—instead, a miserable, deserted, hollow, _broken_ teenage boy took his place and collapsed in my arms.

He trembled again like before, but for a different reason this time. It was as if I was in his head listening to the words his soul was whispering:

_Finally,_ it said. _Finally, I have been heard._

_~0~_

"You bring quite an interesting case to my office, Mrs. Black. Thank you for bringing it to my attention."

I was pacing back and forth after school in Mr. Allenson's office, the three boys from today's bathroom incident sitting miserably in two chairs behind me. Cameron sat on my other side, hands folded gingerly over his stomach, which sported an icepack from the teachers' lounge fridge. The other three boys cowered slightly every time I passed by them, or even looked their way.

After Cameron had composed himself in the hallway, I'd taken him up to the nurses' office and left him there to go finish teaching my class. I had literally kicked everyone out of the classroom two minutes early just so that I could be here in the office to present the case to Mr. Allenson personally and assure that it got taken care of as soon as possible. Luckily for them three, the boys that I'd caught involved had shown up. I meant what I said about hunting them down.

At Mr. Allenson's words, I froze in my pacing. I locked my eyes on his, staring right into them. "What do you mean, 'Thank you for bringing it to my attention'? You're not going to do anything?"

Mr. Allenson, who'd paled a little at the expression on my face, hurried to reassure me. "No no no, that's not what I meant at all! See, we take bullying very seriously here at our school. To hear that this has been going on since his freshman year is just heart breaking and quite disconcerting."

I snorted humorlessly at his first comment. "Really, Mr. Allenson? If you take bullying so seriously at this school, then why hasn't anyone he's told done anything? He did ask for help in his freshman year when this whole thing started, and he was ignored."

"This is also disconcerting to hear. I will have to talk to those teachers about this. And as for the boys' punishments," he turned to look at each boy individually. "Each one of you is going to be suspended for two weeks. During that time, and the rest of the month afterwards, you will have afterschool work, kitchen duty, lunch room clean up, and gum detail all after school and on your own time. As of next week, you are suspended, and should not be seen on or around campus. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

Each boy let out a sigh. "Yes, sir," they chorused.

"You are excused."

They stood up and shuffled out the door, heads low, shoulders sagging. The wolf within me recognized that as a tail-between-the-legs departure.

I let out a sigh, and turned to Mr. Allenson with a tired, yet grateful smile on my face. "Thank you for your time and help, Mr. Allenson." I shook his hand.

"It was no trouble," he said, standing up. "I'm just sorry it took so long."

I helped Cameron up from the seat, and he left out the office door to the front of the school outside to, presumably wait for his ride home. I, however, went into the teachers' lounge to catch the last fifteen minutes of a meeting I was supposed to go to. I'd asked my next class neighbor to cover for me until I got there. She'd done a pretty good job, apparently; nobody questioned anything when I came in and sat down.

Fifteen wasted minutes of my life later, I walked outside to the front of the school to find Cameron still standing there, hunched over slightly from pain. I was surprised—he was still out here? The parking lot was empty from students already—where were his parents?

"Hey," I called, walking over to him. "What are you still doing here?"

"Waiting for my parents, what does it look like?" he answered.

"Respect, child," I warned him. "Respect."

"Sorry, Mrs. Black," he said, sounding a lot more courteous. Much better.

"How long have you been waiting?"

"Since school ended."

There was a moment of silence. I had a pretty good idea of what he was trying to hide.

"Your parents aren't coming to pick you up, are they?" We were both staring at the empty parking lot, and the empty street beyond it.

Silence. Then: "No. They're not." Cameron sighed.

I nodded to myself. Would it be a bad idea to take him with me? I asked myself. I didn't think so. I hoped not.

"Hey," I said suddenly. "Why don't you come with me?"

He gave me a weird look. "What?"

"Come with me. Meet my cousin. Meet my niece. Hell, meet my husband. Come with me," I repeated, holding out a hand.

Like before, he hesitated for a second—and like before, he took my hand. I brought his arm over my shoulder and my other arm around his waist. I could feel him shuddering—not from my touch, but from something else. There was a light sheen of sweat on his face whenever we moved too jerkily, but I couldn't tell what it was. There was obviously something hurting him, but I couldn't tell what.

"Are you okay?" I asked him as I helped him into the car. At least we could drive to the hospital if it was something serious.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he assured me. I was still suspicious, but I didn't say anything.

As we drove onto the road and left the school behind, we were quiet. The only things I could hear were his shuddering breaths. It made sense that it would be painful to breathe. Maybe that's what was hurting him so badly. I felt stupid for not thinking of it before.

I almost jumped when he suddenly spoke in the silence of the car. "I never got to say thank you for, you know, helping me back there." He looked me right in the eye. "Thank you, Mrs. Black."

I smiled kindly at him. "There's no need to thank me, hon. And it's Serenity."

"What?" He sounded like I'd thrown him off.

"We're off school grounds. You can call me Serenity. Or Serry, if you prefer."

He looked slightly uncomfortable at this, but I could see a bit of pleasure underneath it. "Okay…" he said slowly. "Thank you for helping me, Serry."

And at that moment, he began coughing again. Not quite like before; this was worse. He coughed violently, his back arching off the seat, and he covered his mouth with his hand. As quickly as I could, I pulled over to the side of the road and turned to examine him.

"Cameron!" I put my hand on his back uncertainly, not sure what to do. What could I do in a situation like this? I had absolutely no medical advice. It was almost as bad as when I had to deliver Elijah from Emily on my own bed. "Are you—no, obviously you're not okay. What's wrong? Where does it hurt the most—?"

I cut off abruptly when he drew his hand back from his mouth, pausing in his coughing for a few seconds. I smelled it before I actually saw what was on his hand: the metallic, all-too-familiar scent of blood wafted through the car and stained his hand and the front of his sweatshirt hoodie.

And the next second he was coughing again. This time he wasn't fast enough with his hand—the blood sprayed all over my dashboard and splattered a bit on the windshield. Panicking slightly, I put the car into gear again and fishtailed back onto the road, driving in the opposite direction of where we were originally headed.

I swore several times at the people who kept getting in my way and the traffic lights that suddenly had to turn red as soon as I got close. I drove as fast as I could to the hospital in Forks, a fifteen minute ride—I minimized it by five minutes, getting there in ten. I abruptly parked in the nearest parking space and shut the engine, jumping out of my seat and running around to the other side to help Cameron out of his seat. I tried to keep things normal and let him limp with me to the doors, all the while coughing up blood on his clothes and my face, but I was too panicked to let so much time go by without him getting help.

Instead, I scooped him up into my arms and ran into the ER.

"Help! Help! We need a stretcher, now!" I shouted to the bustling nurses flocking all around us. "I'm not sure what's wrong, I think his ribs might be broken or something!"

Someone came by with a stretcher, and I laid Cameron down on top of it. He looked so pale; he was losing too much blood now.

"Ma'am, you need to come with me," a male nurse said, taking me by the arms. I almost threw the poor guy off of me—I caught myself though when I shrugged his hands violently off my arms. "You can't go in with him, ma'am. I need to ask you a few questions, is that okay?"

I said nothing, just watched desperately as they rolled Cameron away on the black stretcher, connecting him to equipment along the way. A whine began to build up in my throat, but I suppressed it; I'd already pushed my luck by carrying him in like he weighed nothing more than an infant. I could feel the blood draining from my face. _Oh, God, please let him be okay._

"What do you need to know?" I asked, turning back to the nurse. He opened his mouth to say something, but then one of the nurses that had flocked around Cameron and I came running back, calling, "Dr. Rosales! You're needed with the case of the minor immediately!"

_Rosales. Alexis Rosales._

Alec.

He appeared out of nowhere from behind one of the curtained sections, his expression serious and focused. He strode purposefully across the room, moving to follow the nurse. His eyes swept the room, widening a fraction in surprise when he caught sight of me.

"Alec!" I yelled, running toward him. The male nurse followed, coming to restrain me. "Let go of me!" I jerked away when his hands grabbed at me again.

"Serenity?" Alec came to me, waving off the nurse. His hands dropped away, and he stepped back. I was insanely grateful. "What's wrong? I have to go take care of a patient."

"I know, I need you to save him, please, Alec," I begged. "Save him, help him, do whatever it takes—make him better. He's in pain, I think his ribs are broken—they punched him in school—must've been too hard—I—"

"Hey, hey, slow down," Alec said, eyebrows creasing with worry. "I'll do everything in my power, okay? I promise you, if I can make him well, I will. I have to go; I'll let you know how he is when I'm finished, okay?"

He was already walking away as he spoke. "Okay!" I called. The events that followed were a blur. I called Emily to ask her to take care of Millie and to pick up Dawn from work and keep them there until I could get them myself. It was still pretty early in the day, barely three thirty. The male nurse led me to a seat and asked me some questions about Cameron.

"Are you his mother?" he asked me.

"No." I shook my head numbly.

"Do you have any relation to him whatsoever?"

"I'm his seventh period teacher at school," I offered. The nurse, Ned, wrote that down on a clipboard.

"Has he had anything else like this happen recently?"

"I don't know," I sighed. "I'm not sure about bleeding and coughing up blood, but I know he's been bullied a lot before. It happens daily at school, and I caught it. Today must've been pretty brutal to amount to something like this." I shut my eyes on the memories of witnessing Cameron getting beat up by those horrible boys.

"Do you know where his parents are, ma'am?"

I opened my eyes and looked at Ned. "No, I don't. They didn't come to pick him up after school today, and I didn't want him to walk, so I was giving him a ride, and he started coughing up blood."

He scribbled a little bit more on his clipboard, and then patted my shoulder, standing up. "Thank you for your time, ma'am. I hope… everything turns out alright." And with that, he left hurriedly.

It felt like eons passed by before Alec finally came out to see me. As soon as I saw him I was on my feet, expecting the worst.

"What happened, is he all right?" I asked, firing even more questions at him in Spanish. I always seemed to slip into a different language whenever I was super anxious about something.

"Relax, relax, Serenity," Alec reassured me. "He's fine. Don't worry. We've moved him into the patients' building. Why don't I walk you over there; I'll explain everything on the way."

I nodded. "Okay."

Alec led me to the double doors dividing the ER from the normal check-in desks for check-up visits and things and into the elevator. As the doors shut behind us, he began filling me in.

"You were right; he did have broken ribs. They'd started puncturing his lungs a bit, but you were so lucky you got him here in time. Any later, and I don't think he would've made it. We took him into surgery to get that fixed, and it worked out perfectly. He's all patched up, should be waking up from the sedatives now."

The elevator opened.

"Is that blood all over you?" he asked.

I nodded, looking down at myself. "Yeah. He coughed it onto me."

"Why is it that every time we've met since I came back, you're covered in blood?"

"Blood is just attracted to me, I guess."

Alec led me down two hallways and into a patient's room, where two cots sat in. One of them was empty; the other one housed Cameron.

To be honest, he looked exhausted. His breathing was shallow, his skin was pale and his veins were visible. He was barely waking up when I walked in. I immediately grabbed the chair and brought it closer to the cot to be near him. I took his hand in mine; it was cold.

"The break wasn't as bad as it could've been. It was actually quite minor. He did lose a lot of blood, though. I wouldn't recommend making him do extra activities, like P.E. He'll be okay to leave in a few hours if all his readings and tests come back with good results. He'll be right as rain in a few weeks. Just make sure he takes a lot of pain meds for the pain, eat lightly, and be careful with the stiches. Don't wanna get those ripped." Alec stood by the door, now silently watching us.

"Hey, Cameron," I murmured to him gently. His eyelids fluttered at the sound of my voice. "How are you doing? How do you feel? The Doc says you can get out of here in a few hours if everything comes back okay."

"Mhmm," he groaned. "I feel dizzy."

"That's normal. It's the sedatives wearing off," Alec chimed in.

"I don't feel so bad…" Cameron said. "Is this real life?"

"This is," I answered, "unfortunately, real life."

_~0~_

"Cam, are your parents even home tonight to watch you or take care of you?" I asked as the nurses fussed over him, unhooking him from all the equipment. Thankfully his results had come back perfectly fine, which meant he could come out of the hospital.

"Uhh… no, they're not." He shuddered and looked away from his wrist as one of the nurses took out his IV. "Ugh, I hate needles."

"I can't just leave you alone, Cameron," I said more forcefully. "I think you'll have to come home with me."

"_What?_" he sounded shocked.

"I know it sounds weird, but I can't just leave you alone! When are your parents coming back?"

"Friday," he replied, still sounding shocked.

"So maybe not just for tonight." I bit my lip, lacing my fingers together behind my head. "Come on. Let's go home, then." The nurses finished fussing over him, carefully putting his hoodie on over his shirt and entrusted him into my care to get him to the car. Alec had already given me prescriptions and tips and scheduled an appointment for him to come back to get his x-rays and bandages checked and changed. All we had to do was make through the next two weeks until then.

Like before, I brought Cameron's arm around my shoulders and put my own around his waist. It wasn't a very easy thing to do, considering I was quite a bit taller than him. I was almost six feet tall, with him just a few inches shorter, though his stitches made it harder for him to reach up that high. Realizing this, I detached myself from him and unzipped my high-heeled boots, taking them off and leaving me in my black ankle socks. It didn't matter to me whether I had shoes or not; if it were up to me, I'd never wear anything on my feet. But I actually liked boots and sneakers, so I dealt with it.

Cameron flashed me a weird look as I repositioned us again. I shrugged. "Makes me shorter. You shouldn't be stretching so much; it's bad for your stitches."

We walked to the elevators and stepped in, staying silent for the whole way down. I had to help him with his seatbelt in the car, as it caused him slight pain, even in his mostly drugged state, to reach for it. Starting the car once I was in my own seat, I began the longish drive home.

There was a thick silence in the car. It wasn't uncomfortable; just thoughtful. I would have to pick up Dawn and Millie from Emily's house, and then make dinner in case Jake was sat at home wondering where everybody was and why there wasn't any dinner ready for him to eat (as I'm sure he was late again).

His lateness was beginning to form a pattern. Every three days he was late. I wasn't sure if he didn't think I would notice, but I noticed it the first three day gap that happened between the first and second time he was late. I wasn't sure what made me more upset: The fact that he kept doing this without an explanation (or even a good excuse), or the fact that he seemed to keep getting away with it.

Or maybe it was just the fact that every night after his late show he would try to make me forget by… well, keeping me up at night in a very _specific way._ What made it seem so wrong was that I actually let him. And I wasn't sure why I did.

I couldn't figure out the true reason why he was late. I mean, sure, I could guess the reason why, but I wouldn't really know the _truth_ until I actually got the answer from Jacob himself. Something in the back of my mind told me that it wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

"So," Cameron's low, quiet voice startled me out of my thoughts. "What should I expect out of your family?"

I glanced over at him. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean, what should I expect?" he repeated. "You've told me about your cousin Dawn, that first day in class, and your niece. You didn't say much about them, though. And I only know your husband's name. So, what should I expect?"

I thought about it. What would their reactions be to me bringing in one of my high school students to spend the next few nights at our house?

I doubted that Dawn would mind it. She'd be all for it, actually. She was nothing if not supportive of most of what I do (Most of it). She'd welcome him, maybe even sleep on the couch for him so he could sleep in her room.

Millie definitely wouldn't mind. She might be shy around him in the beginning, calculating him in her mind; _does she like him, or does she not?_ In the end, I think she'd come to like him. She was kind of lonely; sure, she had Sasha, Dawn, and me to play with, but she needed a little more variety in her choices now and then. She would be fine.

Sasha wouldn't care. As long as he didn't find anything he didn't like, he'd treat Cameron like part of the family.

Jacob, on the other hand… I wasn't quite so sure. Once upon a time, (a few weeks ago, before the whole 'late' incident) I would've been able to say, with certainty, that he would be on my side. But lately, he's been surprising me. He starts arguments over the littlest things and sometimes undermines me on certain decisions that I would've thought he'd agree with me on—all these things that I just had no idea what to think about.

His reaction would be the one I'd have to be careful about. This wasn't an issue I would back down on. I wasn't about to leave Cameron in his house alone and injured. And if Jacob didn't understand that, then—

"Mrs. Black?"

"Serenity," I said automatically, coming out of my thoughts. "Sorry, I was just… analyzing."

I took a breath, shrugging my shoulders up and down once. "Well, I know my cousin and niece will be fine with it. If we're lucky, I might be able to convince Dawn to take the couch so you can have the bed. Sasha will be okay with it; he'll probably make you feed him treats when he thinks we're not going to notice." I let out a little laugh.

"And… you're husband?" Cameron prompted me. I bit back a sigh.

"Well, his reaction I'm not too sure about. I'm sure I can convince him to see my side, though. Don't worry. I'm not leaving you alone tonight. No matter what he says." I sat up straight, my eyebrows set in determination.

"Thanks…" said Cameron. "But I'm not worth the trouble."

I scoffed. "Of course you are. You're worth more than you think, Cameron. Don't ever forget that. You are important. You do matter in this world."

He stayed silent after that. When we finally arrived at Emily's house, it was almost nine o'clock. The sun was long gone past the horizon, as it was usually gone by six in the winter months—which lasted _forever_. We wouldn't see the sun for another eight months or so in La Push.

"Hang on in here for me, I just need to go and get them real quick, okay?" I told Cameron, unbuckling my seat belt.

"Okay," he said. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked up the driveway to the front door. Immediately after ringing the doorbell, I was tackled by two life-forms; my cousin, and my niece. But of course it didn't end there; _ohhh, no. _Of course Emily and Elijah had to join in. I almost literally faceplanted with the floor.

"Whoa, you guys!" I exclaimed, stumbling to keep from falling. "I'm only one person! I don't want a personal relationship with the floor!"

Dawn backed off, but the two little ones clung to me, climbing into my arms. "We missed you, Serry," Millie said, gazing up at me. "Where did you go?"

"I was at the doctor's place," I told her, shifting them in my arms. "I had to take a boy there because he needed help. And you know what? The boy is going to stay with us for a couple days. Just until his mommy and daddy get back. Okay?"

"Okay," she said. Just like that.

"When do they get back?" Dawn asked at my shoulder. She didn't even question my decision. She just—_knew._

"Friday," I answered her, making sure to shoot her a grateful look.

"Well, then, let's go get your stuff so we can get in the car and go meet him." Dawn glanced at the car. "Is he in there?"

"Yep. Go get your stuff, guys. Go!" I put the kids down and they ran off, Dawn trailing behind them. I turned to Emily with an apologetic look on my face. "I'm sorry I had to leave you with them so late," I said. "Thanks so much for taking care of them! I hope Sam isn't too annoyed."

"Oh, no," She said. "It was no problem at all. In fact…" she turned her head and shouted into the house, "Sam! Get out here, your fellow Alpha's mate is here!"

There were a few seconds of silence, and then loud thumps were heard, and Sam appeared behind Emily, dwarfing her with his huge size.

"Hey, Serry," he greeted me, grinning. "Finally here to take them out of our house, are you?"

"Yeah, sorry about that," I said sheepishly. "There was a bit of an emergency to take care of. But it's all good now. And now we're out of your buzz-cut hair. See you later," I stepped back as Dawn and Millie stepped out on the porch, giggling. "Oh, and do you know if Jacob's home yet?"

Sam raised an eyebrow. "We left at the same time. Five o'clock, same as always. You mean he hasn't called you?"

"Oh, no, I was just asking if to make sure he didn't stay late, sometimes he does," I said, smoothly forcing a laugh—complete with a nose-crinkle, too.

_You'd make a good actress,_ a snarky voice in my head said. _Or an excellent liar._

Ignoring it, I gave a little wave at Emily and Sam. "Bye, guys," I said. "See you later."

"Bye, Sam! Bye Eli!" Millie yelled. She only really let out her bouncy personality after having fun with Elijah, or just anyone she enjoyed being around. In public, she was quiet as a mouse. But around us, she let her true nature show. She was a bouncy, quiet little girl.

"Bye," Emily said. We turned, and the sound of the door closing echoed behind me in the quiet night. Now it was just a fifteen minute drive to my house.

When we reached the car, I buckled Millie into her carseat in the back, and Dawn took the back seat beside her. Cameron sat deathly still in the passenger side next to me, nobody talking until I actually drove away.

"This is Cameron Brighton, guys," I spoke up. "Cameron, this is my cousin, Dawn Chance," I waved my hand in a greeting gesture.

Dawn leaned forward in her seat, smiling, and extended her hand around his seat close enough that he wouldn't have to reach far. "Hello, Cameron. Is it alright if I call you Cam?"

He looked surprised; so surprised, apparently, that he didn't reply right away. "Yeah," he said slowly, taking her hand. "I guess so."

"And this is our niece, Milagros. Millie for short."

Millie looked at him, seeming to calculate him in her four-year-old mind. I guess he made the cut for her, because she gave him a little smile and said, in her _I'm-shy-and-quiet-because-I-don't-know-you-yet_ voice, "Hi."

Cameron gave her a small smile of his own. "Hey."

We finally made it to the house at just about nine. Jacob's car was there, but only because it was so late. I knew he'd gone out again. I could still smell the scent of exhaust still in the air. If I'd kept driving past Emily's house without picking Dawn and Millie up, I probably would've beaten him home.

But I wasn't about to get in another argument over _that_ again. Not tonight. I had another kid to take care of, which meant I had to keep everything together and calm under my roof. Besides, Cameron probably needed something to eat or drink right about now. They didn't really feed him anything, partly because he was under anesthesia and because it still had yet to leave his system enough for him to be hungry.

Climbing out of the car, Dawn helped Millie out while I helped get Cameron out of the car and up the longish driveway. As we came nearer to the car, I smelled the exhaust even more. Touching the hood of the car as we passed, it still felt ever so slightly warm. Even though my body temperature was somewhere around 105 degrees, I could still feel heat or warmth—same thing—in other things. He was definitely out tonight. And I would go another day without knowing why.

I unlocked the door and we all spilled inside. "Go put your stuff away in your room, honey," I told Millie. Obediently, she scurried up the stairs with a nod.

"I'll go get blankets so I can sleep on the couch," Dawn announced.

"Okay," I said.

I settled Cameron down on the couch, trying to make him as comfortable as I could. "Are you hungry?" I asked him. "I can make something for you right now if you want me to."

Cameron shook his head, his eyes boring into mine. "I'm fine, really," he said.

I didn't really believe him. Although, that could've just been my worry over him talking. Just in case, I went into the kitchen to make something for him. "I'm still making you food," I told him. "I have a feeling you're lying to me. And it'll calm my nerves a bit anyway, so just bear with me. If you don't eat it tonight, you can just eat it tomorrow."

I spent the next four minutes humming to myself in the kitchen while making him a ham sandwich. Half-way through, it occurred to me that maybe he didn't like ham sandwiches, and I'd never even bothered to ask. Before I could go back into the living room to ask, though, a low voice spoke behind me in the archway entrance to the kitchen.

"Why does Dawn need to sleep on the couch?"

Jacob was leaning against the wall of the archway lazily, watching me as I stood there, just looking at him.

"There was an emergency today," I began, pushing some hair behind my ear. I turned around, hiding my face. "One of my students was beat up in school today at the end of the day, and I decided to take him home because his parents didn't show up."

"So what does that have to do with Dawn sleeping on the couch?" Jacob asked. I could feel him coming closer to me, probably wanting to be able to see my face.

"Let me finish, please," I said in a warning tone. Then I continued. "While I was taking him home in the car, he started coughing, and I had to take him to the hospital because it turned out he'd almost punctured his lung due to a fracture in one of his ribs from the beating. They were punching him, and one of his ribs actually moved because the fracture allowed a little bit of movement. Enough to scratch his lungs.

"He had a small surgery done on him, nothing too major. He's gonna need a lot of rest and care, the doctor said." I finished and turned around to face him, crossing my arms. Jacob looked me up and down, noticing the red stains on my turquoise sweater. Then something changed in his expression, like he'd just figured out something important.

"You talk about this like he's _your_ responsibility," Jacob commented in a tone I didn't like.

I didn't say anything.

Jacob's eyes widened. "You didn't."

I stared back at him sternly. "_I did._"

"No, Serenity, no! Why?"

"What was I supposed to do, Jacob? Leave him there? His parents aren't coming back until Friday! He can't be alone in his condition! You know I can't do that. Until his parents come back, he _is_ my responsibility, whether you're in agreement with me or not."

Jacob let out a huffy sigh, rolling his eyes at the ceiling. "Why didn't you tell me about this? We could've—_should've_—talked about this together."

My eyes widened incredulously. "Because I knew you'd react like _this!_ I'm not _adopting_ him, for Pete's sake!"

Jacob was quiet at that. Then he said, "Until Friday?"

I let out a relieved breath. "Until Friday."

"Then I guess… As long as… well, I mean, fine. If you wanna take care of him, then fine. Do whatever you want. I won't be in your way. I don't know what you want me to say," he looked at me with a frown on his face. "I'll try to be supportive of you? Tell me what you want me to say, 'cause I don't know…"

I stepped up to him so our faces were inches apart. "Don't say anything," I told him. I gazed up into his eyes. "Just stand beside me; just _try._" I stood up on my tip toes to kiss him.

And he did the funniest thing. Just as my lips were about to touch his, _he turned his head to the side._ My lips touched his cheek.

Taking it all in stride, I walked back into the living room with the sandwich on a plate in my hand, trying to ignore the knives of pain stabbing at my heart. Why didn't he kiss me? Why didn't he want me to kiss him? We're _married_! That's what we _do._ How—why—_what?_

"Here you go," I said to Cameron, who was still sat on the couch. "Are you still not hungry?"

Cameron nodded at me, his dark hair bobbing. "I'm actually melting into this couch…"

"Then let's get you to bed, yeah?" I placed the plate on the coffee table and helped him stand up, his arm once again on my shoulder. I led him to Dawn's room down the hall, directly underneath mine and Jacob's bedroom. She was just finishing setting up the bed for him.

"Is he going to sleep yet?" she asked.

"Yep. Speaking of which, he'll need to borrow some of Jacob's clothes tomorrow for school," I mused.

"You think they'll fit?" Dawn shot me an incredulous look. "In case you didn't notice, your husband's _huge_."

"I'm sure with a belt and one of his smaller shirts, Cameron will be fine," I reassured her reproachfully. I laid him down on the bed, helping him out of his sweatshirt. He gently collapsed back onto the bed, yawning in painful bursts as his lungs stretched to accommodate the air he breathed in. I winced, imagining the pain he must've felt. I'd been there before, but I had werewolf super-healing. It wasn't as bad for me. Cameron… Cameron was human. He felt pain—would feel pain—for months before this actually made a dent in healing.

I tucked him into bed gently, trying not to jostle him as I took off his shoes and awkwardly unbuckled his belt from his jeans. He was too tired to really care or pay attention, though. Leaving his things on the nightstand, I touched his forehead with my hand.

"Good night, Cameron," I whispered.

"Goodnight, Mrs. Bla—I mean, Serenity?" He shrugged tiredly and his eyes drooped shut.

I shook my head, a smile curling my lips to the side, and walked out the room, closing the door behind me.

When I walked back into the living room, Jacob was eating Cameron's sandwich. I opened my mouth to snap at him for that, but I caught myself. Cameron probably wasn't going to eat it anyway.

"Well," Dawn said, walking out of the downstairs bathroom in the hall. "I'm gonna hit the sack now. I'm beat. We had an even bigger rush hour today. So many people in need of caffeine, so snappy and grabby and awful. I didn't even get that many tips today! Ugh, sometimes I hate people." She plopped herself down on the couch, pulling the fuzzy duvet over herself. "Goodnight, you two."

"Goodnight, Dawn," I half-smiled at her.

Jacob nodded his head at her, muttering a "Night," around a mouthful of food.

Sighing, I frowned at my husband before following him up the stairs to our room. I closed the door behind us, silently locking it. No one was going to be coming up here anyway. Jacob was already shrugging off his work clothes, and I saw the tight muscles of his abdomen working as he lifted his tight t-shirt over his head. I shuddered. The image of him turning his cheek to my lips instead of kissing me flashed in my mind again. Why hadn't he wanted me to kiss him? What was going on with him?

I shook my head to cast these thoughts away. He climbed into bed on his back, one arm behind his head, the other resting on his stomach. That spurred me into action, making me move over to the bed and retrieve my pajamas—really just a tank top and shorts—from under my pillow. I slowly shrugged off my blood-stained sweater and chucked it into the laundry hamper. Then I unbuttoned my jeans and slid them down my legs, kicking them off my feet and also tossing it with my sweater. I could feel Jacob's eyes scanning me none too slowly.

With my pajamas on, I slid into bed in my favourite position: on my stomach. But then I flipped onto my side, scooting closer to Jacob until our skin touched. I put one arm over his chest, tracing little patterns with my finger. His skin shuddered under my touch. I bit back a small smile.

I let go of a small sigh as his arm that had once been under his head came around and enveloped me into his embrace. His hand slid down my side to the edge of my shirt, fingers playing with the hem, and then slid his hand underneath, slowly sliding his hand up my bare skin. I fought the urge to shiver.

"So," I said quietly in the darkness. "What happened tonight? Were you late again?"

I already knew the answer, but every night he was late there was a new story, a new reason.

I felt him stiffen ever so slightly, but he tried to cover it up with a tired sigh. "Yeah, there was a project that we have a really short deadline on that we absolutely _have_ to have fixed by Friday. It's gonna be a lot of work and I'm actually starting to sweat about how long it's gonna take. The guy's offering a lot of money and I really don't wanna mess up or be late on it. So I stayed some extra time to fix it up some more."

This was definitely new. It almost sounded genuine and sincere. Except for the way I caught his eyes flickering to the left as I looked up at him. And the way he'd stopped touching my side while he explained. He was concentrating too much on his lie.

But I smiled and patted his chest reassuringly. "You'll get it, don't worry. I know you will. I have _complete and utter faith in you._" And to seal the wound, I pushed myself up and placed a kiss on his lips before he could stop me.

At first he was rigid, stiff and unmoving beneath me. But then he seemed to come to life, kissing me back with a fervor that caught me by surprise. I already knew where he was going with this. I knew before he brought his hands to the waistband of my shorts or the hem of my t-shirt. And yet, I still found myself responding. I still found myself placing the _soundless_ spell around our room to keep the noise inside and hidden from the bottom floor.

But worst of all was the string of words that revolved in my head the entire time; the same string of words I sleepily, lovingly whispered into his skin as I shifted back into my belly-down position to sleep.

"I love you."

_~000~_

"Are you sure you want to go to school today? I mean, I could call the school for you to tell them you're sick. You don't have to go back."

"No, I'll be fine. They won't be there today anyway. It's okay. Besides," Cameron reasoned with me as I fussed over him and his bandages. "What would I do all day in your house? I don't know my way around and I can't exactly move around like I used to."

"Which is exactly why I'm nervous about you going to school!" I cried. "Here at home you don't have to move. There at school, you have to go to your locker, the lunch room, different classes—people will bump into you, the teachers most likely won't help you—I mean, I'm not sure what to do. I've never dealt with this kind of thing.

"Wait," I said, struck by an idea. "What if I pulled you out of class and had you stay with me for the whole day? You'd just sit down in the classes I have—come with me to the preschool where I teach the first half of the day—and I'll get someone to tell you the homework you have. No fuss or pain. You'd be fine and you wouldn't have to worry about missing your homework. I could turn in any homework you have now into your teachers' boxes, too. Sound good?"

I glanced at Cameron hopefully. He mulled over his mushy oatmeal—he was supposed to be eating softer things—and finally looked up at me with a resigned expression. "Fine," he relented. "But if I feel better tomorrow, I'm going to school the whole day, okay?"

I chewed my lip, but agreed nonetheless. "Let's go then," I chirped. "You done with your breakfast?"

We both glanced down at his more or less half-eaten bowl. "Not the hungriest guy right now, I guess," he said sheepishly.

I smiled, chuckling under my breath. "I feel you there. Let's just go before we're late."

I rounded up Millie and whistled a quick goodbye to Sasha as we left. Loaded up in the car, we were gone. Jacob's car was gone too. He'd left early this morning. I'd heard him get up and get ready for work. I had to say, he was pretty dedicated to his lie; he'd gone as far as to mutter things about the car under his breath. Something about the engine and the breaks and how the owner should've gotten them checked five years ago…

I called in sick for Cameron while I drove to the elementary school. They were a bit confused and nosy when I told them who I was, but once I told them why he needed to stay out of school, they backed off. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes in frustration after I hung up the phone. Some people just couldn't mind their own damn business.

We arrived with about twenty minutes to spare. It was plenty of time for me to grab hold of my teacher supplies and help Cameron walk to the school building. Luckily I had snagged a closer parking space this time. Less strain for him from walking so much.

I settled him in a chair near the indoor bathroom of the classroom and went about putting everything in place. By now the kids knew where they sat and didn't need the name cards anymore, so I no longer set those out. We'd start out with the little journals I'd bought them; they would be writing out their ABCs. Some of them—a surprising amount—hadn't gone to preschool. I was backtracking, but as soon as we had everyone on board, we'd be zooming through it. They'd learn how to spell their names, a few other words, the different sounds certain letter made when put together—the works.

"Is it hard?"

I turned around to face Cameron. "Is what hard?" I asked.

"Teaching the little kids." He glanced around the room. "Does it ever get… frustrating?"

I half-smiled. "Not really. Little kids at this age really aren't too difficult. Of course, it depends on how they were raised. I have a few in here who like to cause trouble, but they mean well. All they want is attention. They have the choice in their head: do I get attention by causing trouble, or by pleasing everyone? And usually, they choose the former because it's all they know that works. They always go back to what they've learned." I shook my head.

"How did you learn all of that?" Cameron asked incredulously after a few seconds.

I gave a short laugh at his expression and tone. "I studied psych one summer as part of a program. I learned a lot from it."

Cameron shook his head, seemingly at a loss for words.

The warning bell finally rang, indicating that there was only five minutes left before the beginning of class. I walked over to the door, bracing myself in preparation for the day. I pushed it open and smiled at the children waiting outside in the cold. I waved them inside, counting twenty-five heads before I closed the door behind them.

"Here we go."

_~000~_

"I really hope you guys all made me proud by studying!" I sang as my history class shuffled out the door. By the large amount of sagging shoulders and averted eyes, I knew I would be disappointed.

"Well, at least you'll be present for one class today," I said, turning to look at Cameron. He shook his head, a small smile forming on his lips.

I caught a whiff of horrible smelling cologne from a straggler student as he ran out the door and closed it behind him. I made a face of disgust and was about to comment when a powerful wave of nausea hit me like a ton of bricks. I doubled over, clutching my stomach, and a low grunt escaped my lips without my meaning to. _Oh no. Nonononono—not here, not now! Please, God, no._

But no amount of praying was going to change nature's course. I dashed over to my desk and fell to my knees. I barely made it to the trash bin underneath before I violently up-chucked my breakfast and lunch.

"Mrs. Black!" Cameron didn't come closer. He couldn't, anyway—he was hindered by his wound.

"I'm—fine!" I coughed. Ugh, the taste was almost worse than throwing up. I needed to rinse my mouth. "I'll just be right back. I need to get rid of this awful taste in my mouth. Blegh!"

I stepped out of the room, leaving the door unlocked. Students were pouring in behind me, but I wasn't worried. I would only be a few minutes. I reached the women's restroom and bent over the sink, cupping cold water into my mouth and rinsing the vile taste out and off of my tongue. I couldn't change here; the water only touched me for a few seconds anyway before I dried myself off.

What had gotten into me? That was way out of the ordinary. I hardly ever threw up. Not without good reason. As far as I knew I wasn't sick—I almost _never_ got sick. The only time I'd ever really experienced anything close to stomach flu or a cold was before I started Shifting. _So what was that?_

I had no clue.

I reached the door of my classroom and reached for the doorknob, glancing through the glass window before I did. The sight inside made my blood turn to liquid ice—and then burn like a match lighting up gasoline. There was a ring of tall male students, juniors or seniors it seemed, surrounding the very spot I had left Cameron sitting. These boys weren't any of my students. They didn't belong in any of my classes. I growled under my breath. _Why can't these boys just leave Cameron __**alone?**_

I turned the doorknob, but was shocked to find it of all things _locked_. Those S. O. B.s actually _locked me out of my own classroom to get to Cameron?_ Did they think they could get away with it like that?

One of them, the one closest to the door, heard me jiggle the doorknob and turned. He flashed me a smug grin and turned back around, arrogant and totally confident that a locked door would keep me from entering the classroom. He was so deadly _wrong._

I took a few steps backwards and kicked the door in hard with my combat-booted foot. It banged open with the excessive force I'd used. Every student inside scrambled to the wall opposite the door. Except for the ring of boys around Cameron. They had all turned around in fear and horror, staring at me with their mouths agape. I unleashed the full weight of my death glare, particularly on the one with his hand gripping the front of Cameron's shirt. I closed the door behind me slowly, each click loud and echoing in the now-silent room.

"Did I ever mention," I addressed the class without taking my eyes off the juniors, "that I have a family friend who happens to be a cop? Did I ever mention that he took me into self-defense training before I went off to college so I could learn how to defend myself?" I was greeted with a heavy silence. "I guess not."

I lifted a hand and pointed at the blond boy gripping Cameron's shirt. For some reason, the idiot hadn't let go. "You." He looked up at me in fear. "Let. Him. Go. _NOW._"

He hurriedly let go of Cam's shirt and backed away. I glared at each boy, keeping myself in between them and their escape out the door.

"I want each of you," I said, "to write your names on the board right now. Don't even think about leaving behind a fake name because, so help me, I will hunt each and every one of you down until I find you. And as for _you_ all"—I directed my attention to my class—"I am _beyond_ disappointed in you. You guys were my favourite class. How could you let them come in here, _lock me out_, and touch Cameron—who, by the way, is _injured_, in case you didn't notice? This is by far the worst thing I've ever witnessed—and that's saying something for all the things I've seen. I—I have lost all respect for you lot. All respect. I thought you were better than this.

"And don't you tell me there was nothing you could've done because you could've shouted for help, unlocked the door, or stood up for Cameron—_something._ Even stalling them would've helped! Instead you stayed and watched with eagerness and anticipation. I could see it in the grins on your faces." I barked out a harsh laugh. "None of you were going to help him. Not a single one."

They boys were finished writing their names on the board. "I want all of you in the office after school. If you know what's best for you, you'll show up. I meant what I said. I'll look for all of you. I _never_ forget a face." I stepped away from the door and they hurriedly shuffled out.

I kicked it shut behind them and went over to Cameron, who was sweating slightly and looked pale. "Are you okay, Cameron?" I gently prodded his chest.

"I'm fine," he grunted. But I could see through the lie. His breathing was hitching; he was in obvious pain, hence the sweat. And it was all my fault because I was the one who left him all alone in here.

"Dammit!" I pounded my fist down on my desk. The _#1 Teacher_ mug from the teacher's lounge that I'd borrowed fell off the edge and shattered. My students just stared at me in shame and fear. I couldn't even bear to look at them.

My wolf was itching to crawl out. I could feel the small urges to Shift calling out to me. I had to resist them, had to ignore them. I couldn't Shift here. Not with these kids. I'd lose control.

I stood up abruptly, my expression cool and emotionless. "For the remainder of this period," I said flatly, "you will all be writing an essay about what you've done. This will count toward your grade. I will grade you accordingly on how many words you've written by the time class is over. You have exactly forty-two minutes to do so. Yes, I'm being vague on purpose, and yes, I'm completely serious. Get out a piece of paper and a pencil and get writing."

"But how are we supposed to write an essay with such little information?" a girl in the back protested.

I merely looked at her. "For your sake, I hope you learned something from what you've all done."

It was unfair, almost cruel. But that was what made it such a fitting punishment.

_~000~_

The next few weeks were much the same. When Friday came along and I dropped Cameron off at a small house in a more suburban area of the neighborhood I met his father. More or less. We'd walked up to the door, rang the doorbell, and were met with a guy a few inches taller than me. He was broad-shouldered and smelled of beer and cigarette smoke, with thick stubble and dark eyes. He didn't send off any good vibes. The first thing he did when he opened the door was look me up and down slowly and blatantly. I was wearing a loose sweater with an unbuttoned coat over it. One shoulder was exposed, which I didn't find out until I was back in my car. I'd forced a smile and managed to introduce myself and tell him that Cameron was injured, but I guess he didn't want to hear the rest. He'd just dragged Cameron in without so much as a goodbye. It felt wrong to leave Cameron there, but there wasn't anything I could do. The man was his father. I didn't have custody or anything like that. So I had to leave.

After the first vomit-incident, it kept reoccurring. It didn't make any sense—I wasn't sick. I just—kept throwing up! The second time it happened, I was at home, thankfully. I was cooking something up, BLTs for the family, and I was cutting up the tomatoes when the smell of them just overwhelmed me. I couldn't reach the bathroom quick enough, so I used the trash bin under the sink. Jacob caught me, and he held my hair back until I'd finished.

"What happened?" he'd asked me, worry creasing his face. "Are you sick?"

I shook my head. "I don't get sick. I have no idea what this is." I'd explained to him that it had happened at school too. And it kept happening for the next three weeks.

What also continued was Jacob coming home late. School was finally off for winter break, not due back until January. I was home all day with Millie, keeping things tidy around the house and preparing for her birthday party. By the time he came home, everyone was already in bed. I wasn't asleep, of course. So he was ready to use his methods of making me forget and forgive his lateness as soon as he came into the bedroom. And I let him. But what was even more worrying was the fact that my need for Jacob—as embarrassing as it is for me to admit—was _growing._ I felt more eager to let him do this. I knew it was probably not the best thing, but I couldn't help it.

Things, other than that, were going smoothly. I was enjoying my break; Millie's birthday had just passed, as well as Christmas. We were just going onto New Year's now. I was spending time at the Cullen's house. They'd invited me over, claiming to have gifts for me, Millie, and Dawn. Jacob had already been there, apparently.

It was news to me.

"This one's for you!" Alice chirped as she held out a perfectly wrapped box to me, complete with a perfectly tied bow. Everything was perfect here. It was unnerving. I smiled sweetly in thanks.

I tore open the box slowly, curious as to what was inside. I mean, it's not every day you get Christmas presents from rich vampires! You'd be curious too, I'm sure.

Inside the box was a snow-globe wrapped in tissue paper to keep it from breaking. As I unwrapped it, I saw that there was a picture inside—more than one, actually. There were several pictures floating around inside. The main one, however, was stable and glued firmly to the bottom of the globe; it was a picture of Jacob and me, our arms around each other, with the happiest smiles on our faces. It was almost like a pinch to my side. The pictures floating around were precious as well. There were some of Millie and me, Dawn and me, Jacob and me—even some of Sasha. But not all of them were with me; some were just of Dawn, or Dawn with Millie, and Sasha with other people. All of my family and friends were floating—around Jacob and me. It was beautiful.

"Esme had the idea," Carlisle said. I looked up at him and smiled at Esme as she came over to her husband. She smiled back.

"Thank you so much!" I came over and hugged her, ignoring the coldness of her skin and the bleach-y smell. I was the last one to open my gift. Millie had gotten some designer clothes from Alice, and Dawn had gotten $300 for iTunes from Rose and Emmett. They'd kept it pretty simple for her; she was over the moon.

Bella was out at the time, but Edward was here. She was spending time with her father Charlie, he'd explained. Jacob was at the shop working, so he wasn't here. I couldn't help but think about it; awfully convenient that neither of them were here…

_You're getting paranoid,_ I said to myself. _He wouldn't cheat on you. He's your husband. And your imprinter. He loves you more than anything, just like you love him. _

An uneasy feeling rippled through my stomach, disturbing my thoughts. It was a feeling I was all too familiar with. _Oh no, not here, not now!_

"Excuse me, Esme, where's the nearest bathroom?" I asked, forcing down the nausea. I could taste the bile already.

She frowned, eyebrows knitted in concern. "It's the first door up the stairs, dear. You went in there once, I believe, when Renesmee was born."

Right. I remembered now that she said it. "Right, thanks." I hurried in that direction, straining not to stumble on the way.

"Is everything alright?" someone called, but I was too worried about the inevitability of my vomiting to identify the speaker. I barely made it to the toilet, as it was. By the time I'd finished, I could hear Dawn explaining to them how I'd been having these incidents for the past few weeks.

"Do you think she's pregnant?" I heard someone—Rosalie—ask. As if the thought hadn't crossed my mind! But that couldn't be it. I was on the pill. And we were being careful! I mean, sure, there were a few times we didn't use protection, but that was recent. I wouldn't be having symptoms of pregnancy _that _quickly, whether it was Jacob's wolf genes or not. It wasn't that way with Emily. It wouldn't be that way for me.

"Are you kidding?" Dawn scoffed. "I don't even think they _do_ anything in their bedroom. Unless their quiet as mice! I don't even hear footsteps or so much as a creak in the bed. It's absolutely silent in there. To be honest, I don't think Jake really wants kids at the moment anyway. He's bound to be extra careful if they even sleep together that way."

I made my way downstairs and announced our departure. We left the Cullen house and made our way home, where we celebrated the New Year together a few days later. School started up again. I was still wary of Cameron and his bullies, but he caught a lucky break: they stopped bothering him. The junior who had locked me out of my classroom were expelled from the school—_good riddance._ Since the spring semester started, things were looking good. My students actually began to study for their tests and do homework. I was the talk of the teacher's lounge. They asked me how I did it, and I told them I didn't know. I just… taught in a way that made more sense to me and to them. They understood it, which made both sides happy.

For the first time in months… things were looking up.

Until they weren't.

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><p><strong>Aaaaaaannnndddd—CUT. I stop here, because then I'd never stop. Anyway, I apologize deeply and sincerely for making you guys wait literally a whole freaking year for me to update. I am so sorry—I don't even know. We had testing, and then my summer was overrun by all the crappy things my parents wanted me to do for "experience" and whatnot. But on top of that, I got accepted into a school program thing that I can't really explain here because I'm on a time frame. Once school started, there wasn't time for absolutely <strong>_**ANYTHING**_**. It took away sleep, lunch, free time—I didn't even have **_**weekends**_**. I always have homework—in fact, I have homework that I should be doing NOW—and I'm on break. **

**I now know the life of a college student. **

**So yeah, life's been tough. But y'all don't wanna hear that, hahahaha. Anyway, I really am sorry. I'm trying my best here. I do it all for you guys 'cause I love you all so much. ^_^**

**Please review and tell me what you think! I always love feedback. And follow me on tumblr if you want! :D**

**LOVE YOU GUYS!**

**Ciao!**

**~Alee V. **


	13. Disappointments of All Kinds, An update!

**Hey guys! How y'all doing? I know, I know—I'm a terrible person for not updating like I should be. **

**Excuse? I could say school, but that's so generic. Writer's block? Sort of. Family life? Maybe. I'm on summer break now (YAY) and have about three weeks or so left of it, so I'm trying to get as much done as I can. **

**Links to my social media where you guys can contact me are on my profile, so you can check those out if you're interested in snippets for my stories, updates on progress for chapters, Q&A's, etc. I'll just remind you guys that I am most certainly not dead. Cool? Cool.**

**Now, in this chapter, I shall start out with Jacob's POV in present tense, and then revert back to Serenity's POV and continue on from there. I AM skipping around with the timeline to speed things up a bit because time needs to pass in order for progress to be made. You know? **

**So, that being said, read on, guys! Enjoy!**

**REVIEW?**

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><p><em>JACOB'S POV<em>

"You can't be serious," I say as I sit up on the couch of the abandoned cabin. "She'll never let me go! Especially for _that_ long! What would the excuse be? If it were for business, she'd expect Sam or some of the other guys to come with me. There's just no way."

"Oh, come on, Jake," Bella says, sitting up next to me. Her cold skin brushes mine, raising annoying goosebumps despite my very warm temperature. "I'm sure you can think of something! It's been a long time since we've done anything like this. Just you, and me… and the rest of the family, of course. It could be fun." Her honey-golden eyes plead with me. "Come on. You could really use it. Just a break from her and the others for a few months. We can go somewhere secluded, maybe the woods in another state…"

I give up listening to her for a second. The temptation to give in, to actually indulge in this crazy, wild plan is so strong that I take a few breaths to think straight. She wants me to leave with her on a trip to some secluded place, just the two of us, for a couple of months. Away from life on the rez, my Alpha duties, and my wife, AKA imprint. I shouldn't do this. I can't do this.

But I want to do this.

"I can't leave her now, Bella," I reason with her. "Not when she's… like this."

Bella frowns. "Like what?"

"She's been pretty sick for the past couple of months," I say, worry creeping into my voice. My shoulders tense with apprehension. "Throwing up and stuff. And you didn't hear me say this, but I've noticed she's been getting… kinda big around the middle. She's got some chubbiness around there now."

Bella rolls her eyes, but I see the flash of irritation at my affectionate tone. "She's getting fat—that's what you're trying to say." She waits a beat, taking an unnecessary breath. "You don't think she's… pregnant, do you?"

I don't appreciate the jealous twist of her mouth, the snarky hint in her voice. "No," I say carefully. "She's on the pill. And, yeah, she may get periods, but she's still a wolf. Like Leah. She can't get pregnant. If she could, she would've, the first time we didn't use protection."

She doesn't say anything, but at least the hard line of her lips softens. She leans her head against my shoulder. "You really should take that vacation with me," she says softly. "You really do need it. I can't imagine how uncomfortable you must get with her antics. Taking in that kid last year for three days just because his parents weren't home? That was so stupid! Taking in that niece of hers after her cousin just—dropped her off at your doorstep? _Without_ your permission? That was crossing a line, in my opinion! Seriously, Jake," she leans back to look me in the eyes. "You need a break. Just a few months. Nothing more, nothing less."

The worst part is that I can see it all. I can see Bella and me going off to some foreign land, a place in the woods maybe, with no contact to anybody in Forks or the La Push rez for a couple months—just the two of us, or whoever else Bella intended to take with us. I can see it and I want it. Her reasoning is so convincing, her voice so hypnotic, my head so fuzzy—

"Alright," I say. "I'll bite."

"I bet you will," she says huskily, eyes half-lidded with desire. "You really need this. Myself alone is not enough to help you with stress-relief. I care because you're my best friend."

"Funny," I chuckle, "this relationship is anything but _friendly_." Her eyes flicker downward, then back up at me.

"I don't see you complaining," she counters, raising an eyebrow.

"That you don't," I agree, nodding.

Taking that as my vote of consent, Bella presses her lips against mine, moving with vampire speed to straddle my lap as our mouths hungrily move against one another in a battle for dominance. The image of Serenity, my _wife_, flashes across the inside of my closed eyelids, and I slow down a bit as the guilt seeps in. But then Bella's hand moves down my chest, and the guilt and Serenity's image are swept away as I get lost in the sensation of Bella's cold, icy touch, and her bleach-y vampire smell. Despite all these things, I don't mind. I never mind. I just keep coming back for more.

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><p><em>Serenity's POV (About a week later)<em>

"Jaaaacoooob…"

Silence.

"Jaaaaacoob!"

Nothing. Not even a stir.

"_Jacob!_"

Finally, the large lump on the bed moved, sitting up straight and swinging his head over to look at me as I stood before the full-length mirror hanging by our closet.

"What's wrong? Are you alright?" he asked worriedly, putting on his boxers and cutoffs in a rush. He came over to me, frowning as he saw I was unharmed.

"_Look at me, Jacob." _I was near tears, looking at my reflection in the mirror, then back at him. "These jeans fit me last week."

Understanding dawned on his face as he took in the sight once more. I stood before the mirror, turned to the side, my hands gripping the front of my jeans as if to button them. The only problem was the amount of space between my fingers; there were a good three inches of space between them. _Three inches!_ How had I outgrown a pair of comfortable jeans in just a _week?_ My stomach, once flat-ish and somewhat toned, was now slightly rounded, protruding in a smooth curve that I now realized had been gradually growing bigger over the past two months. _What the hell?_

"What the _sh*t _is _this?!_" The tears tumbled over the edge, spilling down my cheeks pettily. "This can't be happening! This was my favourite pair of jeans, Jacob! I don't wanna give them away!"

Jacob looked alarmed at my sudden outburst. I wasn't known to curse, especially with Millie in the house, but I just couldn't help it. Of all the injustices in the world, this one was the one to break me. And on the day I had school, too!

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, babe," Jacob said, coming to wrap me in his arms. "It's gonna be okay. You can go clothes shopping with the ladies, alright? It's not the end of the world. Those jeans were bound to let you down someday—how long have you had them? Since _high school_? Their demise was coming for them anyway. Don't worry, Serry." He took my tear-stained face in his hands. "You still look sexy as hell."

At this, I giggled, sniffling. "Okay. I guess I'll just wear a dress then." We moved apart; he back to the bed—today was his day off—and me into the bathroom across the hall.

The drive to work was quiet and thoughtful. That was the nicest Jacob had been to me in… a while, it seemed. He hadn't called me sexy since the first year of our marriage. Honestly, that was _really_ sad, but it was the truth. I didn't know whether to be suspicious, or to enjoy it whilst it lasted. I strove for the latter. If there was an ulterior motive, I'd find out about it soon enough.

My kindergarten students were well-behaved today. The naughty ones seemed to have turned a new leaf, at least today. Millie and Elijah were looking forward to playtime at Emily's, especially after I sent everyone—them included—a little math packet to practice their numbers and counting. Since we'd gotten there early, I came inside to talk to Emily for a bit.

"It just made me so _sad_," I said, recounting the story of this morning with the jeans to her. "I've had them since high school! For them to just not fit me after a week was devastating. It's irrational, I know, but I just…" I shrugged helplessly, unable to express my feelings. "Got so emotional."

I frowned, thinking to myself. In all honesty, letting go of my emotions wasn't something I was known for. In fact, I was known more for the opposite. I was the calm and collected one, the _serene_ one, hence my name. Admittedly, I do have a tendency to bottle my emotions, but letting them out in tears wasn't a method I particularly liked. Whilst I disagree with the notion that crying is a sign of weakness, it's hard to remember that when we're bawling our eyes out overwhelmed with various emotions. I preferred to let my emotions out in different ways. Like knife-throwing sessions.

Emily stared at me, then at my stomach for a long time. She stood up slowly, finally looking back up at me. "I'll be right back," she said in a weird voice. I could practically see the wheels turning in her head. I frowned, but she raced up the stairs before I could say anything. What was she doing?

She came back down five minutes later holding a small, misshapen cardboard box in her hands. I knew I'd heard rustling up there. She looked down at it for a second, then, a determined look set on her face, she thrust it at me. "Take it," she said when I didn't reach for it. "You can thank me later. I know you probably don't think so, but you never know. I've had these in my sink cupboard since Elijah. And I've been checking on myself every now and then, just to be sure I know what's going on. Now, go. Before you're late to work."

I didn't look at the box until I got to the high school parking lot. I frowned at the label on the box until it clicked in my brain just what the contents of it were. _Pee sticks?_ Emily had given me a box of _pregnancy tests?_ She thought I was pregnant?! That was impossible! For one, I was on the pill. For another, Jacob and I used protection. Sure, there were times that we didn't, but I shouldn't have been able to conceive. Leah couldn't. I couldn't. That was the way things were. It depressed and tortured me to no end, but there was no changing that. I wasn't pregnant. Emily was crazy.

And so was I for considering it. _Everything's possible, even in the most impossible of situations._

_That doesn't apply here,_ I snarled at myself as I angrily shut the car door behind me. _This just can't happen. You already know that for sure. Don't fill yourself with false hope. It'll only make the fallout worse._

"Mrs. Black?"

I looked up from my computer screen, glancing at the speaker. "Yes, Martha?"

"Are you… okay? You seem pretty out of it." She twisted her mouth to the side, eyes shining in concern. The rest of the class mirrored her sentiment.

I closed the laptop, sliding it out of my way. "Yeah, I'm fine. What makes you say that?"

She hemmed and hawed for a second. "Well," she began carefully, "it's just that… you were talking to us about war heroes, and how that had interesting you in high school, and then you said you were gonna google something about it, but… it's been eight minutes. You've been silently googling things for eight minutes."

I looked at her as if she were talking to me in a language I didn't know. "Really?" I asked, bewildered. I hadn't even noticed the time lapse at all. It could've been two minutes for all my concept of time could catch. Students nodded, a murmur of agreement resonating in the room. "I'm sorry guys. I've just been preoccupied today, I guess. I'm kinda tired too; that might be it."

Just then, the bell rang. "Class dismissed!" I called out. They obediently rose out of their seats, gathering their things and filing out the door.

"Feel better, Mrs. Black!" Martha called out, being the last one out the door.

"Thank you, Martha." I smiled, waving at her. She shuffled out of the room.

Alone in my quiet classroom, my tiredness seemed to surge full force. My eyelids grew heavy, drooping slightly. I vaguely acknowledged the fact that people were shuffling inside for last period, sitting at their desks and talking amongst themselves, the volume scaling up. Normally, I would've chastised them for coming into the classroom so loudly, but I was too tired to bother. All I wanted was a small nap. I folded my arms on my desk, hands clasped together in that "ready-student" kind of way. Just a little bit, a few minutes… I'd just rest my eyes….

A small eternity later, I realized that the classroom was completely silent, a heavy silence settling over us all. I could hear hearts beating, so I knew everyone was there. I opened my eyes.

The whole class was staring at me, shocked expressions conveying disbelief. Mouths agape, eyes wide, brows furrowed. The whole nine yards. Cameron, in his seat, was starting to smile.

"Were you—sleeping?" Monica, a student near the back, asked. Her voice was dripping with incredulous disbelief. "Did you _actually fall asleep?_"

I frowned. I'd closed my eyes, sure, but had I fallen asleep? Completely, for a few minutes there? "Uh… did I?" What was I supposed to say?

Cameron snorted. "I heard a snore."

I scowled. "I do _not_ snore."

"I heard it too!" Monica chimed in. "It was so light I almost didn't know what it was."

"Are you okay, Mrs. Black?" Jason, another student near the front, asked. He had a humorous glint in his eye. "You seem really tired."

"I'm fine," I countered defensively. "Just tired, is all."

"Whatever you say, Mrs. Black." Cameron's eyes glinted mischievously. "Whatever you say."

"See you tomorrow, Mrs. Black," Cameron said. Since the incident, and the day he went back to his own house, he always made sure to be the last one out the door and the last one to leave campus at the same time that I did. It was very sweet, and I liked to think he was my favourite student in that school. Well, out of the classes that I taught, anyway.

_How could anyone ever dislike you enough to bully you so badly? _He was honestly such a sweet, kind soul. I didn't understand it! There was no logic behind it, no reason. I just guess bad things happen to good people. The opposite is not nearly as often enough.

"See you, Cameron," I said, grinning at him as I put my things away in my teachers' cart. Standing up, I glanced down at my stomach, processing my size. I didn't really _look_ pregnant. I mean, it wasn't as if I was completely skinny or thin a few months ago; I've always had a little fluff that I could stand to lose. That fluff just seemed to have… doubled in the last week. Maybe even tripled. It really wasn't that big of a deal. I'd just have to work out a little, and watch what I ate.

_But what if you were pregnant? _I thought as I backed out of my parking spot. Ugh, the question refused to be dropped! Giving in, I thought about it. Symptoms of pregnancy…

Morning sickness. Sure, I'd been throwing up for the past few weeks, but it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Surely it had to be a reaction to something in the food I was eating. I'd thrown up at the smell of tomatoes once. It was a terrible experience considering I actually liked tomatoes, but I wasn't down for throwing up every time I smelled or ate them. Throwing up wasn't a sure-fire sign that I was pregnant.

Cravings. Okay, so I'd been eating and craving some weird things lately. But that didn't mean I was pregnant! So what if I wanted to eat Oreos dipped in marinara sauce and cooked in a pan at 2 A.M.? I am an _adult_—I have the freedom and the power to do as I pleased! You know, as long as it's cheap and doesn't get me arrested or hospitalized.

Mood swings. This one I have no real excuse for. It wasn't PMS; the mood swings were too constant for it to be that. Maybe it was just the tension created by work and the lack of explanations for Jacob's tardiness. Whatever it was, it was for damn sure frustrating. It was hard enough throwing up all the time, but having raging and nearly uncontrollable hormones just made it that much worse.

_You're not pregnant,_ I told myself sternly as I pulled into Emily's driveway. _There's no way. _I refused to even look at the box; as soon as we'd gotten home—Jacob's car missing as per usual now—I stuffed the box under the bathroom sink, hopefully to be out of sight, out of mind.

Unfortunately, that wasn't how things turned out. They stayed down there for about a week until I broke and took them out. It was a Saturday afternoon, and I had the house to myself; Jacob was with the guys, Dawn was called in to work to fill in for a sick co-worker, and Millie was at Elijah's house. I was alone. This was probably the only opportunity I would get.

I sat on the floor in the bathroom, legs splayed open with the box between my knees. My stomach curved ever so slightly outward. The box seemed to stare at me, intimidating me with its silent significance.

_There's no way you're pregnant,_ I told myself.

_Are you sure about that?_ The box seemed to ask. Was it me, or did it seem almost _smug?_

_Of course I'm sure!_ I thought back defensively. _I would know; it's my body._

And then, those words: _Prove it._

It was like a match to gasoline, the killer strike of a snake. I snapped to attention, furious at the effect a box of _pee sticks_ had on me. As if it could dictate me, run me around! Please. It wanted proof? I'd give it proof alright.

_Fine!_

"Water," I said to no one in particular, voice hard. "I need water to pee."

I dashed downstairs, marching into the kitchen and snatching three water bottles from the fridge. I bounded back up the stairs and plopped myself onto the edge of the tub, taking a long drag from one of the bottles. I glared at the box where I left it. _I'll show you._

Three water bottles downed later, I paced back and forth in the bathroom in frustration. How long did it usually take someone to have to go to the bathroom? Honestly, I'd never had this kind of bladder endurance before. I was taking _forever_ to need to go pee. It was about four o'clock now. Jacob would be coming back home soon, and then I'd lose the chance to do this in total privacy.

_Hurry up!_ I scolded my bladder, poking myself in the side.

It took another while—it was about 4:45—but I finally felt the urge to go. I took about four of the sticks out and, well—peed on them. What else would I do? The box said to wait 1-2 minutes, but I wanted to wait five, just to be sure.

And just when I was washing my hands, the sticks lined up neatly on the ledge of polished marble above the toilet, I heard the front door open, and several pairs of footsteps walked into the house. A chorus of voices—about five—erupted with the open door, Jacob's being the first and most familiar one I picked out.

My head snapped up to my reflection in the mirror; my expression was one of pure horror and shock. _Crap._ Not only was Jacob here, but he'd brought the whole _pack._

"Serenity? Babe, are you here?" Jacob's voice floated up the stairs. My heart squeezed in apprehension. What if he came up? What if he wanted to use the bathroom? What if—

Before I could do anything, I heard his loud footsteps bounding up the stairs. Instinctively, I clambered out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind me with a louder _clack_ than usual. I winced. Of all the days that my luck could be on the worst side of the spectrum, it just _had_ to be this one.

"I'm here," I called out, forcing lightness into my voice. Jacob appeared in the doorway, a lazy smile on his face.

"Hey," he said, coming up to me and pressing a light peck on my lips. I was too nervous to really reciprocate. He must've noticed, 'cause he pulled back with a slight crease between his brows. "Is something wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I answered breezily. "What's going on? You're back awfully early."

He raised a mocking eyebrow, a smirk gracing his lips. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you didn't want me back here."

This time my smile was a little more genuine. I gave a small laugh. "Of course not," I said, leaning into his embrace. "I'm just surprised is all."

"Well, we just came by for a little bit. The guys wanted to see you. They claim to miss you, that I've kept you all to myself lately." He rolled his eyes, his tone full of sarcasm.

I mirrored the action. "_Right._ They missed me. Oh please," I scoffed affectionately. "They just missed my cooking. I bet they've been eating Emily and Eli out of house and home."

"They're waiting downstairs." He released me, slapping my butt affectionately in the direction of the door.

I yelped, shooting him a half-hearted scowl as I made my way to the stairs. The second I set foot in the living room, I was bombarded with several warm bodies and greetings, questions flying a mile a minute. It was quite nice, talking with them after not seeing them for so long. I disentangled myself from the suffocating grip of numerous burning limbs, and moved to sit in the loveseat, relaxed.

Until I heard the flush from the upstairs bathroom.

* * *

><p>~<em>Jacob's POV~<em>

It's obvious that Serenity is nervous about something by her body language. She's chewing on her lip, her eyes are flickering from me to the door, and she keeps trying to angle her body between me and the bathroom door. I don't know what she was doing in there, but whatever it is, she doesn't want me to see it.

The only way I know to get her out of the room is to flirt with her, distract her from whatever is in the bathroom. She melts almost too easily at my affection, which makes me suspicious, but then wonder—why was it so easy? She never gave in so easily before…

_That doesn't matter. Just do what you came here to do and get out. _

I open the bathroom door, still frowning at the spot Serenity was standing, and then walk into the bathroom. I freeze, my eyes falling on four white sticks on the ledge above the toilet. My eyes widen, and then glance down to see the box on the ground, the tell-tale label telling me all I need to know. _Pregnancy tests._

I slowly reach for one, carefully as if it's gonna snap at me. My heart is beating fast, palms collecting sweat as I bring the stick to read the result. I suck in a breath.

_Oh, God. Oh, God, oh God, oh God. _

I do my business, flush, and wash my hands, numb to the world as the image of the result flashes again in my eyelids. I sit on the closed toilet seat, dropping my head in my hands. This changes everything. _Holy crap. How the hell am I—?_

All of a sudden I hear her light footsteps bouncing up the stairs. I immediately stand up, rushing to get out of the bathroom. She walks into the room, her nervousness palpable in the air. Although I can't see it from the outside, now that I know what it's about, I can tell it's there. I'm overcome then, with selfish sadness.

And I think she can see it in my eyes, because a question rings in hers—a question I can't bear to give the answer to. I feel a surge of hope that she won't ask.

To my relief, she doesn't. She says, "They're waiting for you downstairs. I let them raid the fridge, and they're done now. What time will you be getting home?"

I glance at the door for a fraction of a second, and then back at her. "Um, probably around eight or nine," I answer off-handedly. I try for an air of casualness. "We'll probably eat out too, so don't make any more food than you have to, alright?"

She smiles a forced smile. "Alright. Well, I'll see you then." She comes up to me and kisses me, a loving peck on the lips. I feel a twang of guilt, a flashing image of Bella in my mind. I step back, away from her and the bathroom. I can't bear to look at her, can't bear to be here when she walks into that bathroom. It will only make my escape that much more untouchable. _Oh, God help me._

"I'll see you later then." I don't wait for her answer. I high-tail it out of there as quick as I can. "Come on," I tell my pack mates. They're stuffing their faces with food from my fridge. "We're leaving. Now."

Frowning and tilting their heads at each other in confusion, they follow me anyway, obeying me even though I didn't use my Alpha control. I hate to use it. I never will, no matter what.

We leave the house, and the feelings of it behind. But right before I turn my motorcycle on, I think I hear the sound of a gasp, shocked and echoing in the how empty house, before I drive away.

* * *

><p>~<em>Serenity's POV~<em>

I waited until I heard the door close behind him before I closed myself in the bathroom. I pressed my back against the door, wanting nothing more than to look at the results on the pee sticks, yet unwilling to do it. If it was positive, I'd be—well, I wasn't sure. I would definitely be overjoyed, but would Jacob? Jacob, who was so adamant about the fact that he didn't want kids with me yet? Could I deal with those repercussions? Could I deal with the fact that my own husband, the father of our child, wouldn't actually _want_ them?

_Just shut up and look at it already!_ An irritated voice in my mind snapped.

That spurred me into action. I opened my eyes—when had I closed them?—and moved forward, standing in front of the toilet. I stared at the pee sticks, picking one of them up in my hands and bringing it up for closer inspection. My eyes widened in shock. A gasp flew out of my mouth as the breath in my lungs was knocked out of me, as if I were punched in the gut. Tears, hot and anguished, sprang to my eyes and streamed silently down my face. Even as I curled on the floor and sobbed my broken heart out, the tests came down with me, the outcome of my grabbing at them in disbelief and shock. My vision blurred, but I could see the result of the test clearly, my senses both numbed and sharpened at once.

A small, single, horizontal line had appeared in the little circle of a screen on the stick.

_Oh, God. Help me._

Negative. The test was negative.

* * *

><p>~<em>Two weeks later~<em>

I never imagined how much the negative result would affect me. Before it became my reality, I thought it would bring me relief, maybe even a little bit of satisfaction at proving everyone wrong. But I never imagined the pain, the anguish, the _utter grief_ I was feeling now. I never realized that I'd been hoping, so strongly, for a little pink plus sign.

I was floating in two different modes of life. Dull, aching numbness—plain and simple, I was depressed. I didn't want anything to do with life; nothing seemed to be worth living for. I couldn't find any purpose, any reason to wake up the next day. In fact, I didn't want to wake up the next day. Happiness was too far out of my reach. The second mode was hot, angry grief—I broke down over and over again, kicking and screaming, with hot, anguished tears gushing in rivers from my eyes. I was angry at my friends, family, Jake—I was angry at the world. But mostly, I was furious with myself. It was all my fault. There was something wrong with me. I couldn't conceive, couldn't create life the way I wanted to. The only one who truly understood was Leah. She was the only one who could reach me in my hazy stupor. Especially once I got my period two days after the whole thing.

I hated myself. Really truly hated every fiber of my being. I found things hard to bear, or hard to care about. My students at school were being difficult, but I couldn't bring myself to care so much about that. It was a distant thing, something I couldn't be bothered with. I was quick to anger, though. And once they saw that, they calmed right down. It wasn't like me; the angry me was foreign to them. They didn't like it.

I no longer slept on my stomach. I couldn't. It hurt too much to do it—physically. I continued to get bigger, it seemed; I also continued to throw up and eat the weirdest things. Now, I could just chalk it up to the aftereffects of grief. Jacob—oh, goodness, Jacob. He'd known. He'd seen the results. When he came home late that night, after Dawn had found me sobbing on the bathroom floor, he'd looked so guilty that I'd given him the silent treatment. I couldn't bring myself to get mad at him, or even care that he was late. He tried to comfort me, touching me tenderly, but I shrugged him off, curling onto my side in a fetal position, giving him my back. I couldn't deal with it.

Now, I was cooking in the kitchen, silent in my work. Millie and Dawn were in the living room watching some Disney movie. I plated the food, carrying the plates to the table.

"Dawn, Millie," I called. "Food's ready."

They came into the dining room carefully, wary of my chancy mood swings. I gazed at them calmly, emotions level for the moment. I imagined a calm lake, smooth and unbroken.

We sat and ate in silence, enjoying the food. Occasionally I'd catch their eye; Millie smiled at me. Despite everything I was feeling, I couldn't help but smile back. I may never have a child of my own, but at least I had this one to love and care for as my own.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, disturbing the placid silence. I shared a look with Dawn. She shook her head, looking as perplexed as I felt. Who could it be? We weren't expecting anyone. I stood up, pushing my chair back and walking to the den. Through the peephole, a police officer stood on the doorstep, looking stern and uncomfortable. My stomach dropped. This _couldn't_ be good.

I opened the door; the officer shifted his glance from the welcome mat to me. "Good evening, ma'am." He tipped his capped head down politely toward me.

"Good evening, officer," I said cautiously. "Can I help you?" My heart hammered in my chest. This was all too familiar to me. It brought back memories, bad ones, from years and years ago.

"I have some very unfortunate news that I regret to inform you," he said, sorrow touching his light brown eyes. Those eyes—they'd seen a lot in their years in the force. Just like the officer who'd stood on the doorstep of a different house I'd lived in, slumping his shoulders in the same way. His gaze flickered downward; he took a breath, and met my fearful gaze with his sorrowful one. My breathing became shallow, fear nailing me to the floor.

"I offer my deepest condolences," he mumbled. "Yesterday evening, there was an accident on the highway heading in this direction, toward the reservation. The car was totaled, appearing to have swerved off the road and into the woods on either side. The driver… she didn't make it."

My heart sped up double-time, my breath catching in my throat. _No._

"The body was identified this morning as Grace Elora Garand, a relative of yours…"

My whole world felt like it'd be violently turned upside down. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. _Grace. Grace was dead._ My heart stopped, stinging not for myself, but for someone else. _Oh, Dawn._ How would I tell her? How would she react? Her sister was _dead._ There wasn't anything she or I could do.

A phrase from the officer pierced through the hazy veil of shock. "…appeared that she was on her way here, though her motives were unclear…"

She was on her way here. _Here._ There was only one person deemed important enough for Grace to return to La Push, the one place she fought harder than anything to get away from. _Milagros. _

She was on her way to see her daughter.

That was the last straw for me. Suddenly, my view of the world careened sideways and my shoulder hit the doorjamb. The officer reached for me, but there was someone at my side before he could touch me. Dawn glared at him. Of course it was her first instinct to protect me. I'd told her everything about the moment another officer had shown up at my doorstep to tell me of my mother's death. Just like Grace, Mom had been on her way to see me. And just like Grace, my mom never made it to her destination.

But right now it was my turn. I had to be the one to protect Dawn from the same fate. I couldn't let her go through it the way I did. For the first time in two weeks, a small flame of purpose sparked to life within me.

"Can I help you, officer?" Dawn said harshly. She glared at him through narrow slits.

"He was just leaving," I interjected. The officer, taking the initiative with the grace of someone who'd done it a thousand times before, nodded and took a step back.

"Thank you for your time, ma'am. And… I'm deeply sorry." He turned and walked down the driveway to his cruiser. Dawn closed the door before we could watch him drive away.

"What was that about? What did he want?" she asked me anxiously. My heart squeezed in my chest. I took her hand and lead her into the living room.

"Where's Millie?" I asked. Oh, God—how were we going to tell Millie?

"Upstairs watching a movie," Dawn answered. "I sent her up there a minute ago. Tell me what he told you, please." Her forehead creased with worry.

"I don't know how," I murmured, looking deeply into her eyes. "He said… yesterday morning they found evidence of an accident on the highway coming to the rez. The car was totaled, deep in the woods. They suspect the driver swerved off the road. They identified the driver this morning." I gulped, taking both of Dawn's hands in my own. Her expression twisted, expecting and bracing herself for the worst.

"It was… Grace. Grace was in the car when they found it."

Her expression slackened in shock. Then, she was in a flurry of movement, running her hands through her hair and shifting on the couch. She shook her head vigorously in denial, refusing to believe the underlying message to my words. "We have to go see her. We have to drive to the hospital right now!" She shouted, standing up. I caught her hands, turning her back to the couch. Tears sprang in my eyes.

"She didn't make it, Dawn." I put one hand on the side of her face and neck, keeping her steady. "She's not in the hospital. She's—dead."

Dawn kept shaking her head, even as the dread and grief settled in her eyes. "No, no, no," she mumbled over and over. She dove at me, locking me in a vise-like grip as she sobbed into the side of my neck. I held her to me, murmuring useless words to her as she grieved. I wouldn't let it be the way it was for me. I'd help her better than anyone could've helped me. I made that promise to her, whispered it in her ear as she bawled and mourned.

* * *

><p>Where Dawn grieved in tears and agony, Millie grieved in silence and sorrow. She didn't fully grasp the concept of this particular death; she'd never really known her mother personally. She only knew about her through what Dawn and I had told her. She was sad, not because she felt the sensation of utter loss, but because Dawn and I were sad. She fed off of us, lost in the deafness of her own kind of anguish. She knew what she'd lost—but the importance was distant. She couldn't miss what she never had.<p>

The planning for the funeral was a slow, painful process. Because Grace's body was so brutally battered and mauled in the accident by glass and debris, it would be a closed casket arrangement. It was better that way, anyway; nobody really wanted to see the body. Better to keep the last image of over 15 years ago than have her injured, lifeless body the last time they'd ever see her. A happier memory. We invited everyone we could. My family, Jacob's family, the pack and their families. We'd even sent one to Valencia in New York. It only seemed fair; her daughter had died. She might want to come to the funeral—you know, if she cared.

The day of the funeral was appropriately dark and gloomy. Clouds, thick and heavy, covered the sun like a wool blanket across the sky. The air was crisp and cool in the cemetery; I could smell the sorrow wafting from everyone there as they took their seats before the freshly dug grave. Dawn and I walked slowly to the site, my arm around her shoulders as she leaned on me for support. Silent tears streamed down our faces. Every now and then Dawn's shoulders would jerk with a sob she didn't dare expel; she wanted to be strong, to get through this for Grace. I squeezed her shoulders, and she touched her temple to mine in thanks.

She's prepared a short eulogy for Grace. When writing it, we both knew she wouldn't be able to make it through a whole speech highlighting all the better parts of her late sister. We both knew there weren't many parts to highlight in that sense. At least, not before she up and left. Childhood was the only thing she could bear to share with the audience of family and friends. And they would understand. They all knew the story, to some extent, one way or another.

"Ready?" I whispered in her hair. She nodded, a small incline of her head. Sniffling, she disentangled herself from my arms and gingerly made her way up to the front of the closed casket. Seth, Embry, Austin, and Dad stood at the four corners, offering nods of support as she took a shuddering breath. Reaching into her pocket, she drew out a folded up note and unfolded it, clearing her throat as she prepared to speak.

"Family and friends," she read; her voice cracked slightly. "You've all come here in support of each other as we mourn the loss of Grace, my sister. I know many of you don't know her, and many of you do. To all of you respectively, she was a friend, a niece, a cousin. But you didn't know her the way I did—as a sister." She shut her eyes against fresh tears. "She was a dreamer, my sister. She wanted bigger things out of life, and she always knew she had a way to get them. She wanted a life off the rez, someplace glamorous enough to suit her polished, shallow personality. She was so desperate to get out of La Push that she did the unthinkable: she ran away with her boyfriend—hello, by the way, Francisco."

A man among the family, behind Emily and Sam, slumped lower in his chair. His eyes, I was relieved to see, were rimmed with red.

"During that time, she got pregnant and—well, the rest is history with us now. She brought Millie into my life, and if there's anything better that she ever did, I can't think of it. She took care of me when we were kids, fought with me when we were tweens, came back to me when we were adults one last time—she was my sister, and no matter what she did, I always loved her. For all the wrongs I know she would've asked forgiveness for—I forgive you. There is nothing that can't be forgiven, Gracie. I hope you know that, and I wish you the best, wherever you are."

She crumpled up the paper in her hands, kissed her palm, and placed it gently at the head of the casket, right before the bouquets of flowers showered over the front. Then, taking a step back, she sniffled again as the boys at the corners lifted up the casket and moved to lower it into the grave. Dawn came over to me and rushed into my open arms. I held her to me tightly, swallowing my own sobs at her suffering. _Oh, I would give __**anything**__ to make her happy again…_

By the time her sobs subsided to little hiccups, the dirt was packed neatly with the rest of the leveled earth. I cast a glance over the attendants who'd come with us: both packs and their imprints (that is, Sam's and Jacob's); family friends; Austin and Dad, along with their respective guests; Francisco, the former boyfriend; and Cullens, who were able to come out and attend thanks to the darker, sunless weather. Jacob sat among them, behind his back and next to Bella and Renesmee. It was a total of around 30 to 35 people. The children were silent, somber in the arms of the adults. Millie was with Emily, refusing to be away from Elijah—not that he would let her go anyway. He seemed determined to ease her sorrow, holding her hand and going with her wherever she went. It was nice to know that whilst I was busy comforting Dawn, someone else was perfectly capable—and doing a fine job—of comforting Millie. I was glad, in a way, that she'd never known Grace as her mother; that kind of loss was hard for someone so young to take on.

"Let's go home, now; yeah, Dawn?" I murmured to her. Sniffling, she nodded, and pulled away from me to walk back to the car we came in. We would be driving back home, and the Cullens and my family would be coming back with us. Everyone else would disperse, at Dawn's wishes. She could only take so much company.

The drive back home was long and tiring. Millie and Dawn sat in their seats, silent, while Jacob drove us back to our house on the rez. I stared out the window at the gray, gloomy sky. It reflected my mood perfectly, as the weather around here always seemed to. Maybe that was why I liked it so much here; La Push really was my home. It was home to my mother, home to Dawn and Grace—home to everyone. Until they got it in their heads that they needed to leave.

But eventually, everyone made their way back here. Home was home, no matter what.

We made it home before everyone else. About five minutes after we'd climbed out of the car, several more cars pulled up, each one more expensive-looking than the last. Bella and Edward climbed out first, Renesmee in tow. The rest of the Cullens followed suit, climbing out of their cars and flowing into our open front door. Dad and Austin were the last to show, but they came. And that was what mattered.

Dawn and I were curled up on the couch with Millie, but once the vamps stepped foot into the house, I could smell them. The smell of bleach and too much sweetness was enough to make my stomach churn. By the wrinkling of Dawn's nose, I could tell she smelled it too. Nonetheless, we stood up, doing our best to be presentable for company.

"Jake," Bella said, coming in with her arms outstretched ad her brows knitted in concern. He walked over to her and hugged her without a second thought. "I'm so sorry."

I frowned. Surely Bella would have the decency to offer her condolences to the _right_ people. Jacob was probably the person suffering the _least_. For crying out loud, he hardly knew Grace! Dawn was drowning in her own tears and grief and Bella had the nerve to go to _Jacob_ first?

At the same time that Bella went for Jacob, Edward and Renesmee came for Dawn and me. We were enveloped so suddenly in their embrace that I stiffened and latched my hand to Dawn's in an instinctive action. But I forced myself to relax, to realize that I wasn't in danger. These two vampires were my friends—and quite possibly my favourite out of the Cullen clan.

"We're so sorry for your loss, loves," Edward murmured, pulling back to nail us with a look of ancient empathy. "If there's anything at all that we can do, please, don't hesitate to let us know."

"Yes, please tell us," Esme reiterated, coming up behind her son with her husband. She tried for a sad smile. "We know your pain."

That may not have been the right thing to say, I realized, but Dawn merely nodded in thanks. A weak thought penetrated my mournful haze, a reminder that I had to at least play host.

"You guys can sit down if you want," I said, gesturing to the sofa and the loveseats around the living room. "Make yourselves comfortable."

Even though they didn't need to, they seat themselves on my couch, probably sensing that it would make Dawn and Millie more comfortable. I was more accustomed to their vampy-ness than they were. Millie knew the basics of what everyone was in the supernatural terms. I'd taught her that a long while ago, just to be on the safe side.

Emmett sat next to Dawn, who was curled up on the couch with her knees hugged to her chest. Her black dress, normally knee-length, covered her legs to her ankles now. "So… This kind of sucks, huh?" he drawled, not unkindly.

Dawn laughed, startled at the simplicity of his statement. "Yeah," she said, wiping under eyes. "Yeah, it does."

At that moment, Bella and Jacob came back into the living room. I hadn't even noticed that they'd left—despite the memories in my head that reminded me of the tiny bit of warmth we had between us, I still felt my guard come up. I didn't trust Bella at that moment; old habits were hard to let go of. The only thing we had in common was our mutual love for Renesmee—hopefully we wouldn't have to add anything that had to do with Jacob to that little list.

As if remembering we existed, Bella tore her eyes off of Jake and glanced at Dawn and me. I didn't appreciate the prominent pity in her eyes. One look at Dawn told me that she didn't either. Bella fluttered a porcelain hand over her chest—over her dead, cold, non-beating heart, to be exact. Her lips came forward in an overly sympathetic pout as her eyes flickered between us.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, you two," she said, her voice dripping with too much sympathy. "I hate to see you guys so… sad." Another pout. I opened my mouth to return the favor of her fakeness, but before I could, her honey-golden eyes locked on me in a slow appraisal of my appearance.

"Serenity," she almost seemed to gasp, "you look—,"

That was when I realized that her gaze was locked on my slightly protruding stomach. I glared at her for a split second, but then wiped my face clean of any emotion. I was _not_ going to let her get to me—now of all times.

"Fat?" I cut her off, raising one eyebrow at her. "Thanks; I hadn't noticed." My words dripped with sarcasm.

Her eyes glittered with what I _sincerely_ hoped wasn't triumph, but she replied, "I was going to say fuller, actually."

"Same difference." I held her gaze, not even blinking. "This is totally not relevant right now."

"Agreed," Jacob cut in, stopping Bella from responding. She shrunk back from my fierce gaze, ducking behind him slightly. Ugh.

"Why don't," Dawn said suddenly, lifting her head up from her knees, "we all go outside?"

* * *

><p>I watched Dawn as she rode one of our horses around the corral, the setting sun's gray light illuminating her shadow. She was just a black shape on the horizon line, swerving in and out of clear view the further and nearer she got. She needed the ride; the fresh air would help clear her head and escape the haze of grief fogging everything up in there. I knew what that felt like—more recently than I had before.<p>

"I think she'll be okay sooner than we think," my brother remarked from beside me. I turned my head to look at him. "She's tough—just like you."

At this, I rolled my eyes. If I was truly as tough as he believed I was, I wouldn't have spent all those months crying buckets non-stop over my mother's death. As it was, I didn't stop mourning her for over a year! I said as much to him, but he shook his head.

"I've been thinking about it," he countered. "Yeah, you did mourn for more than what was normal—but don't you remember that one time about a year after the funeral? When you walked into my room and caught me crying too?"

I did remember that incident. I'd heard muffled sobs coming from behind his door, so I carefully pushed the door open and poked my head in. Austin was on his bed, sitting with his knees bent and his back to the headboard, one arm slung over his eyes. But his lips were parted and his chin was wet with tears. That was the moment it seemed to end for me. I was so self-absorbed, feeling only my own pain, never realizing that the people I loved most were suffering just as much as I was. I'd run over to him and hugged him tight until his sobs subdued. I made sure he never cried alone again.

"Well, I like to think that your grief sort of ended there because you found a purpose. Not just any purpose. You found… someone to care for, to protect, to make sure they didn't feel the same way that you did. You found someone whose suffering mattered enough to you to spur you into action, to do your very best to end it. That's what I think Dawn will do too. She'll eventually find her Ultimate Concern, just like you did."

Huh. That was deep. I pondered his words, contemplating them carefully. What he said made sense. I killed my own suffering to kill the suffering of another, to heal them the best I could. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to feel pain—good people, especially those that I loved, didn't deserve to feel such intense, relentless pain. They deserved happiness and love.

"Are you hungry?" Austin asked, the picture of nonchalance. Whoa—what a vast subject change. I blinked at him, about to decline, when my stomach rumbled loudly between us, giving me away.

"I'll go get you some food," he offered, stepping back toward the house.

"Oh, no, it's alright—I'll get it," I waved him away, stepping forward.

"You sure?"

At that moment, I realized two things. One, neither Jacob nor Bella were outside anymore. Two, they were both probably in the house. Together. Alone. That made my decision.

"Absolutely," I affirmed, marching onward. "Be right back."

Swiftly and silently, I slid into the house, careful not to make a single sound. My footsteps were completely muted as I made my way to the kitchen—but I paused, head tilted and ears pricked, when I heard two low voices coming from the living room. I held my breath, not daring to make a single sound.

"…don't believe it for a second," Bella's voice disagreed, filled to the brim with skepticism. "She must've done something to them. There's no way she isn't pregnant. She sure _looks_ like it."

My face contorted into a mask of rage, hands clenching, but I forced myself to beat it down to listen.

"She wouldn't do that," Jacob's voice argued. "You haven't seen how torn up about it she's been. I hate seeing her this way." He gave a long sigh. My eyes squinted. What the hell was this?

"Well. Putting that aside," Bella shifted the conversation, "have you told her yet?"

Another long sigh. "No, Bells, I haven't."

"Why not?" Annoyance leaked into her tone. "Jake, the longer you wait this out, the harder it'll be to tell her. It's already the end of _May_. The end of her school year is coming, summer vacation will arrive—don't you want to?"

_Want to what?_

"Of course I want to, Bells," Jacob reassured her. "You know I do. Just give me time. I'll do it before school's out, I promise."

"You realize that's in two weeks, don't you? If you're waiting for her to get over a negative test result, or the death of her cousin, it's gonna take longer than that. Don't make any promises you can't keep, Jake," she added as a warning.

Anger swam in my veins like liquid fire. The longer I stood there listening, the harder it was to suppress the urge to march in there and pummel them within an inch of their lives—despite the fact that they were both immortal at the moment.

"Don't worry, Bella. Everything will be alright." There was silence then, and that was when I thought I heard it: a slight smack, like the softest of kisses.

In a flash, I was in the kitchen grabbing a glass plate out of the cupboard at the speed of light. I did the first thing that came to mind: I broke the plate in my hands, clutching it in a death-like grip and shattering it. Shards fell to the floor, landing with a loud clanking sound. The remaining shards in my hand sliced my skin, a scarlet river flowing from my palm and fingers. I dropped to my knees; to anyone who would walk in, they'd automatically assumed I'd dropped the plate and cut myself trying to gather the pieces. I gave a little yelp, just for good measure.

Just as I hoped, Jacob appeared in the archway in seconds, concern etched into his painfully handsome features as he saw me on the ground with blood on my hands. "Serenity," he gasped, rushing towards me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I whimpered, expertly faking a wounded tone. I winced at his touch on my sensitive hands. "I just dropped it—I wasn't thinking and I—tried to grab the shards…"

I trailed off as Bella appeared in the doorway. "I heard a crash," she said dumbly.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "Did you now." I didn't make it sound like a question.

"Come on," Jake said, hauling me—gently enough—to my feet. "Let's bandage those."

"No need," I quipped, holding up my hands. The blood, streaming down to my exposed elbows, no longer had a source. "All healed now."

There was a heavy silence during which Bella and Jacob tried to discreetly share a look. I caught it anyways, my senses on high alert. "What did you come in for?" Bella asked. I noticed she wasn't breathing.

Right. The vampire was nervous around blood.

"I came in to get something to eat," I answered, jerking my chin as if to dare her to question my motives.

"When?" This time Jake asked the question. "I didn't hear you come in."

_Yeah, then maybe you would've moved onto a different subject of discussion,_ I thought at him tersely. Out loud, I replied, "Just a minute ago. Austin wanted to get food for me, but I noticed you two weren't out there. I wondered where you were and figured I'd come find you and get some food." My lips curled into a semi-cheerful smile.

"Let's go out then, shall we?" Jacob moved forward, toward the back door. Bella opened her mouth as if to say something, her expression bordering on shocked and offended, but then snapped it shut, glowering at his back. She glanced at me then, and wiped her expression clean, as if realizing she'd been caught.

I merely raised an eyebrow. "Something to say, Bells?" It took every ounce of self-control not to spit the nickname out at her.

I got the feeling that if she could blush, she would have—in both anger and embarrassment. But she swallowed it down, just enough to say—through gritted teeth, mind you—"I'm glad you're okay."

I snorted, not even bothering to hide the fact that I didn't believe her, not for a second.

"Sure you are."

* * *

><p><strong>And CUT.<strong>

**Here you guys go—a longer-than-expected chapter of HITB! Thanks for keeping me on track with the story guys—I really appreciate it!**

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**~Alee V. **


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